King Abdulziz Cardiac Center in the National Guard Health Affairs is launching a complete workshop on Transradial Catheterization on the 6th and 7th of June 2009 with the participation of the German Professor Stefan Hoffman and contributions from Saudi and other Arab cardiologists as well as staff of cardiology nurses and technicians from different cardiac centers in the Kingdom.
Dr. Mohammed Balgaith, a consultant in adult cardiology in King Abdulziz Cardiac Center, NGHA said: “The main purpose of this gathering is to define this new medical technique.” In the technique they use a pelvic catheter after confirming the amount of blood pumped to the palm. A tube is inserted to the heart after widening it through a balloon if necessary or the percentage of the blockage is more than 70%.
Dr. Balgaith pointed out that the workshop will contain many scientific lectures about this technique, new medical technology and how to deal with the difficulties in cardiac catheterization.
There will also be a live broadcast from the operating rooms to the lectureshall as well as practical training for the first time in the Kingdom on new machines which will enhance the experience of the doctors, technicians and nursing staff in the future use of cardiac catheterization.
Dr. Balghait stated that this new method in cardiac catheterization has many benefits as it reduces bleeding problems, which happen in the thigh, also it is more comfortable for the patient who can leave the hospital two hours after the surgery. Furthermore, the patient can eat and drink in about an hour after the surgery. Thus, it reduces the number of hours that the patient spends in the hospital, which will make more beds available for heart patients.
This workshop is the second since last year’s where Professor Stephen Hoffman had expressed his admiration of the level that Saudi medicine had reached and the advanced medical equipment in KAMC.