The best cardiovascular care under compassionate, dedicated and skilled staff specialising in heart health combined with cutting-edge technology to offer patients a multidisciplinary approach to treatment.
With this purpose at the core of its establishment, Busamed Paardevlei Private Hospital in Somerset West officially launched a brand-new cardiac unit at the Somerset West facility on Tuesday 28 March.
The Busamed Paardevlei Helderberg Heart Unit, which boasts top cardiologists, is the realisation of a vision to grow years-long cardiology offerings at the hospital into a fully-fledged cardiac unit serving as a centre of excellence, with increased capacity, that caters for the local community’s wide-ranging cardiovascular needs. Steering the unit are skilled cardiologists Drs Zesi Ngubane, Mark Abelson and Jason September, complemented by paediatric cardiologist Dr Adele Greyling and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Michael Jansen, who are all passionately dedicated to providing the highest level of medical care. Furthermore, the 16-bed unit boasts a state-of-the-art Catheterisation Laboratory and a second in the pipeline for installation in the very-near future, which will feature the Siemens Artis icono biplane angiography system, which offers features for diagnosing and treating cardiac arrhythmia, coronary heart disease and structural heart disease, which simplifies clinical workflows and provides excellent imaging quality at a low-radiation dose. This technology is particularly beneficial for procedures such as trans-femoral aortic valve replacements (TAVI), which the new cardiac asset enables the hospital to offer aside from other procedures, including left atrial appendage occlusion.
Broadly explained, TAVI is a minimally invasive method of inserting a new aortic valve through a small incision in the femoral artery in the groin area. A catheter is inserted and guided up through the blood vessels to the heart, using x-ray or echocardiogram images as a guide. The new valve is then placed and secured by inflating a balloon at the catheter’s tip. This approach reduces the need for a large incision, shortens recovery time and often allows patients to go home within a day or two after the procedure.
A left atrial appendage occlusion is used for patients who have atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia. This is often treated with blood thinners, which may not be suitable for all patients in some instances. In this case a catheter will be inserted through the femoral vein to access the left atrium, where the left atrial appendage orifice is then sealed using a closure device. Patients are then able to discontinue the use of blood thinners.
Patients who have walked through the unit’s doors since its establishment have been treated for various heart-related conditions, including chest pain, hypertension, valvular heart disease, heart arrhythmia, carotid artery stenosis and acute stroke intervention.
“Our Busamed Helderberg Heart Unit is a place where advanced technology meets compassionate care,” says a statement from Busamed. “We are excited to advance our cardiology unit to offer patients a full spectrum of quality care, supported by specialist doctors, professional nursing and complemented with the latest technology.
“As the unit is dedicated towards a comprehensive cardiology solution for adults and paediatric patients, we aim to educate and support our patients every step of the way, while our supporting specialist offer the best treatment for each patients individual needs.”
