HOSPITAL NEWS • Greenslopes Private, Brisbane
6 The Ramsay Way 2018 | 02 A revolutionary technique providing an alternative to open heart surgery will
reach a significant milestone at Lake Macquarie Private Hospital during March.
Following a successful trial period, a specialist cardiac team, led by Interventional
Cardiologist Dr Rohan Bhagwandeen, will mark its 40th Transcatheter Aortic Valve
Implantation (TAVI) procedure. The team includes Interventional Cardiologist Professor
Andrew Boyle, and Cardiothoracic Surgeons Dr Taranpreet Singh and Dr Ross Mejia.
The TAVI technique has significantly improved the lives of patients who suffer from Aortic
Stenosis, a debilitating disease that hardens and narrows the aortic valve, restricting the
blood flow between the left ventricle and the aorta. This causes shortness of breath, fatigue,
dizziness, chest pain and if left untreated, eventual heart failure.
Older patients and those with other health issues may be considered high risk for traditional
valve replacement through open heart surgery,” said Dr Bhagwandeen.
The TAVI procedure involves an artificial valve (made of natural animal heart tissue) being
guided to the heart via a blood vessel in the leg. The new valve is then released pushing
aside the damaged valve and allowing unrestricted blood flow.
Dr Bhagwandeen says not only does the TAVI help to greatly improve a patient’s quality of
life, but allows for shorter admission and recovery times.
“A major heart operation can sometimes require patients to stay in hospital for several weeks
recuperating, whereas TAVI patients can leave as early as three days after their procedure.”
Lake Macquarie Private Hospital began trialling the TAVI procedure three years ago and is
the only private hospital in New South Wales outside Sydney to achieve national credential
status. Patients undergoing TAVI are now covered though the Medicare Benefits Schedule
and their private health insurance.
“Although it’s regarded as a minimally invasive procedure there is still complexity and risk
involved, and we are delighted with the success achieved by our experienced TAVI team at
Lake Macquarie Private Hospital,” said Dr Bhagwandeen.
“We are now ready to undertake more procedures and are working towards providing this
specialised service to patients in the public hospital system.”
Lake Macquarie Private Hospital is the region’s leading acute medical and advanced surgical
private hospital. It has a strong history of delivering progressive and high quality medical
services and care including a 24-hour Emergency Department.
Dr Rohan Bhagwandeen with TAVI recipient Joan Jones, 93. She is one of the first patients to undergo
the TAVI procedure in the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at Lake Macquarie Private Hospital
TAVI IS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE FOLLOWING
RAMSAY HEALTH CARE HOSPITALS:
Figtree Private Hospital has opened
the first residential post-natal centre in
Illawarra, meaning people in the region
no longer need to travel to Sydneybased
facilities to get help with early
parenting problems.
Figtree said its new Illawarra Early
Parenting Centre, which caters to families
with children aged between two months
and two years old, is also the first offered
by a private hospital in New South Wales.
Parents needing support with issues
such as feeding and settling previously
had to apply for lengthy waiting lists to
get specialist residential aid.
“We’ve seen local families wait months
to access early-intervention programs,
and in some cases give up entirely
because of the difficulty accessing these
programs,” Figtree Private Hospital CEO
Paul McKenna said.
“Studies have shown that early childhood
concerns, left untreated, can often have
long-term effects on a child’s health, well
into adolescence,” he added.
The new centre can assist with home
visits, access to an educational day
program, or admission to the hospital’s
five-night, six-day intensive inpatient
program.
Staffed by nurses, paediatricians, general
practitioners, clinical psychologists,
psychiatrists and lactation consultants,
the Figtree facility can provide support
for feeding difficulties, infant sleep
disorders and irritability, reflux and colic,
maternal exhaustion, and help with
adjusting to parenting.
“We’re pleased that Figtree Private
Hospital can now provide a local
alternative to Illawarra families – a highquality,
intensive residential support
program – that has the potential to
improve a family’s wellbeing at their
current family stage, and in the future,”
Paul said.
Alternative heart
procedure offers hope to
people with ‘time bomb’
• Lake Macquarie Private, Newcastle
• North Shore Private, Sydney
• John Flynn Private, Gold Coast
First post-natal program
helps Illawarra parents