Investment Sparks Arrival of Lifesaving Kit

At NDSR we have invested in a potentially life-saving defibrillator for patients at our practice.

We have recently taken delivery of the advanced defibrillator unit, which can help provide the quickest possible response to critical events around the hospital.

Designed primarily to ‘kick start’ the heart in instances of cardiac arrest during open thoracic surgery, defibrillators can also serve other useful purposes such as maintaining a steady rhythm when the heart is beating too slowly.

Gerry Polton, clinical director at NDSR, said the lifesaving equipment complemented the hospital’s existing provisions and would add a further layer of protection for patients.

He said: “The safety of our patients is paramount and we strive to provide them with the best possible care in our hospital.

This new defibrillator is critical in ensuring we can act decisively in the face of the unexpected event of a cardiac arrest.

Together with our team of highly-trained nurses and veterinary surgeons, this defibrillator allows for the best chance of a positive outcome for the animals under our care, should the situation arise.”

The new acquisition adds to NDSR’s capacity to defibrillate during open chest surgery via use of the machine’s internal paddles, which are specialised items that can be rendered sterile under intense heat and pressure, therefore appropriate for use during surgery.

Gerry added: “Although the defibrillator is expected to be used sparingly for the life-threatening emergencies, the equipment is likely to see plenty of action during our interventional cardiology procedures, where it is essential for pacemaker implantations.

The internal paddles also open the door to more advanced intra-cardiac surgical procedures for our specialist-led team.”

Further information on our Cardiology Service.