Cath Labs at UH Elyria Upgraded with New Equipment for Peripheral Vascular Procedures

UH Clinical Update | July 2023

UH Elyria Medical Center has upgraded one of its three cardiac catheterization laboratories in a move celebrated by caregivers and physicians alike, who hail the renovation as befitting the Lorain County hub for UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute.

Interventional cardiologist Charles O’Shaughnessy, MD, Medical Director of UH Elyria Medical Center’s cardiac catheterization lab.

This $717,000 renovation involves a new state-of-the-art ceiling-mounted Siemens system for coronary and peripheral vascular procedures, as well as new flooring, lighting and cabinetry. The control room between two of the cath lab rooms also was updated.

“Since UH Elyria Medical Center became part of Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, there has been tremendous growth in volume and services provided with recruitment and new interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons,” said Naim Farhat, MD, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at UH Elyria.

The procedure and control room were updated from floor to ceiling, and a new large boom monitor replaced the four small screens used previously, said Heather Cassidy-Drain, RN, BSN, MBA, NEA-BC, Clinical Manager for Invasive Cardiology.

“This new room brings us back up to three functioning labs, which enables us to meet the procedural scheduling needs of our current physicians, as well as giving us space to continue to grow our program,” Heather said.

The C-arm mounted to the ceiling allows cardiologists to perform a wide variety of peripheral procedures more easily also.

“The new C-arm in the cath lab will permit us to perform higher-risk peripheral intervention especially with patients with critical limb ischemia, which was difficult to perform in the previous cath lab,” Dr. Farhat said. “The new cath lab will also give us the opportunity to expand services in the future which may include structural heart disease and multiple noninvasive endovascular procedures.”

Charles O’Shaughnessy, MD, FACC, FAHA, FSCAI, Medical Director of Harrington HVI's cardiac catheterization lab at UH Elyria, said the C-arm allows physicians to perform procedures on right legs more quickly and easily.

“It’s nice to have a newer cath lab that helps with less radiation exposure for physicians and staff alike,” Dr. O’Shaughnessy said. “It also makes for safer and more efficient procedures for patients.”

He noted that one room can be dedicated to peripheral cases while the other two rooms are reserved for cardiac cases, from emergent STEMIs to planned interventions.

“This means we can schedule more on a daily basis and still be working safely and efficiently,” Dr. O’Shaughnessy added.