New Cardiac Catherisation Laboratory for Groote Schuur Hospital

Minister Uys opened a new R12 million Cardiac Catheterisation "Cath" Laboratory at Groote Schuur Hospital today. The DG Murray Trust has generously funded the purchase of the new lab, which will make a huge difference to the clinical services at the hospital.

The Cardiac Clinics at GSH and at Tygerberg provide a comprehensive cardiac service with regard to 'plumbing problems' of the heart, predominantly due to coronary artery disease and valve diseases. This service is both diagnostic and therapeutic and includes cardiac catheterisation and treatments such angioplasty and stenting (where a stent is inserted into the heart valve), which is the major workload of any modern cardiac cath lab. Various other procedures and diagnostic studies can also be performed such as insertion of intra-aortic balloon pumps, and the drainage of fluid around and compressing the heart, amongst others. In addition the Cardiac Clinic at GSH provides a comprehensive cardiac service dealing with rhythm and 'electrical problems' of the heart called arrhythmias.

This Cardiac Clinic at GSH remains the only public hospital in South Africa to provide a full-time comprehensive cardiac electrophysiology service (limited service is available in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg) and also provides curative procedures eliminating heart rhythm problems as well as the insertion of cardiac pacemakers and cardioverter-defibrillators to all of the Western Cape and to many patients referred from the Eastern Cape and as far as Kimberley and Durban.

The Cardiac Cath Lab complex at GSH is now probably the most advanced in Africa. The new equipment will reduce waiting lists for cardiac procedures and duration of hospital admissions, saving lives and allowing more efficient use of staff and resources. In addition, with this equipment not only will it be possible to deal with more complex arrhythmias that were either not treatable before or required cardiac surgery, but also treatment will be available to many more patients and the high standard of training of cardiac specialists, in the face of astounding advances, will be maintained.

"Groote Schuur Hospital will now utilize the latest state-of-the-art equipment in providing patient cardiac services and is deeply committed to serving the needs of the local community and to the continued development of a strong, high quality cardiology service," said Minister Uys "The new cardiac equipment will assist cardiologists to provide a quality health service to all our patients " he said.

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Issued by:
The Directorate Communications
Office of the Superintendent of Health, Western Cape
Department of Health
Faiza Steyn
Director: Communication
Tel: 021 483 3235
Herman van der Westhuizen
Media Liaison Officer to the Minister of Health
Tel: 021 483 2627