The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORT

The Department of Cardiology of Apollo Hospitals Dhaka has introduced a new service called 'Radial (Wrist Artery) Coronary Angiography'.

The Conventional Method for Coronary Angiogram is via the Groin i.e., the Femoral Artery. Although this allows easy passage for larger catheters, Femoral Angiogram carries certain problems namely, enforced rest for the patient in 'LYING DOWN POSITIONS' for 6-8 hours which causes some inconveniences to the patient. A large number of patients in this country have experienced with femoral angiography and hence know the problems attached to the procedure.

In Radial Angiography, a small sheath is placed via a special hydrophilic wire in the radial artery (Artery of the Wrist) and the coronary angiogram is performed using specially shaped catheters. The same route can be used for Coronary Angioplasty also. It is an ambulatory 3-4 hours day admission procedure. After the procedure, sheath is removed and a small arm band compression device is kept for few hours. Patient can walk out of the cardiac catheterization lab and what is more, he can be freely mobile and ambulatory. The patient is also entirely pain free. The 'Radial Coronary Angiography' at Apollo Hospitals Dhaka is already successfully functioning and has been received well by patients who experienced it.