Midland Met opens new cardiac catheter lab to cut patient waiting times

The new cardiac catheter lab, otherwise known as a cath lab, will specialise in cardiac pacing, which means patients who need a pacemaker will be seen quicker.

Last year, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust performed just under 500 pacing procedures.

It will also improve the hospital’s ability to provide emergency care to patients who need urgent lifesaving treatment, as it will free up space in the hospital’s other two interventional cath labs.

Dr Abdul Maher, Consultant Cardiology with a special interest in complex cardiac devices and cardiac imaging, said: " The extra capacity that this development creates and the fact that it will be primarily for patients needing pacemakers and defibrillators will be of huge benefit to those we look after.

“These devices can be lifesaving and life transforming, so the opening of this cath lab at the Midland Met is a very exciting day for our teams and great news for our patients.”

One of the first patients to be treated in the new cath lab was 63-year-old Jean Farnsworth.

Jean was told by cardiologists in January that she would need a pacemaker fitted, after her implantable loop recorder had detected her heart rate had reached dangerously low levels.

She said: “I’ve been on the waiting list for an appointment and then I was offered this surgery earlier than planned.

“I only found out on the day of my surgery that it was happening in the new cath lab and that’s probably why I was given this appointment, so I’m really pleased that it’s being done sooner rather than later.”

Dr Vinoda Sharma, consultant interventional cardiologist and Cardiology clinical speciality lead, who worked on the opening, added: "This is an amazing achievement for us.

“The third cath lab will help patients get timely care, cut down waiting lists and help with patient flow."