Centre of Excellence helping heart condition patients leave hospital sooner receives award
A pioneering procedure that has already helped over 100 patients with irregular heartbeats leave hospital more quickly after surgery has been recognised with an award.
The award was given to the world-renowned Essex Cardiothoracic Centre (CTC), part of the Trust, by the Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Association at the Palace of Westminster earlier this month.
It now means that the Essex CTC, where the procedure was a UK first, has been recognised globally as a Centre of Excellence for the condition, which is an abnormality in the rhythm of the heart which affects approximately 2-4% of adults.
Patients can now move within two hours and can be discharged within four hours, half the time that recovery used to take, and avoiding the need to stay overnight.
The procedure involves the use of a new groin closure system known as Statseal, which stops bleeding after heart procedures to manage abnormal heart rhythms,
Rhoel Peralta, Catheter Lab Associate Practitioner, who wrote the case study that won the award, said: "Our efforts and success prove that we can all play our part for patients and make a difference, and this acknowledgment reinforces our commitment to providing exceptional care to our patients.
“We are thrilled to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence and AF Healthcare Pioneers. I am part of a much larger team where everyone came together and worked tirelessly.”
That team are led by Consultant Cardiologist Dr Neil Srinivasan, who was also the co-author of the case study along with Dr David Farwell, and Dr Ajay Sharma.