YouTube video shows patient undergoing heart treatment

12 February 2013

YouTube video shows patient undergoing heart treatment

A new video lets the public see first-hand what a patient experiences during an innovative heart treatment.

The video, currently posted on YouTube, follows heart patient Peter Joyce through his journey of having a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) performed at Tauranga Hospital.

PCI is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat narrowed coronary arteries of the heart found in heart disease. It is also known as angioplasty or stenting. The procedure was introduced to Tauranga Hospital last April, after previously only being available outside of the Bay of Plenty. On January 31st a milestone was reached as the 100th PCI was performed at the hospital.

In the new YouTube video PCI Cardiologist Barry Kneale feeds a catheter through Mr Joyce’s wrist and up through blood vessels so that the arteries supplying the heart can be seen via x-ray guidance. “The blockage causing problems is crossed with a wire before being treated with a balloon and a stent,” said Dr Kneale.

PCI is performed whilst the patient remains awake. “The patient is given sedation that causes them to stay awake but be relaxed and experience only mild discomfort,” said Jason Money, PCI Cardiac Specialty Nurse at Tauranga Hospital.

“My blocked artery was being fixed as I lay there watching it happen on screen,” said Mr Joyce who appears in the YouTube video, “I was happy for my PCI to be filmed, as I hope it will help to show others how simple it is and to ease the minds of anyone who might be about to undergo the procedure.”

Patients are referred to a six week cardiac rehabilitation programme offering education, exercise and emotional support after treatment.

“It was such a smooth process,” said Mr Joyce, “I literally went in, had the PCI and then had a cup of tea and a biscuit straight afterwards. I was well enough to go home later on that same day.”

The video can be viewed by clicking the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlKrDDdw3pY

ENDS

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