Dignity Health French Hospital Medical Center opened its new state-of-the-art heart catheterization lab and performed its first procedure this week, officials with the hospital announced, making it the only facility on the Central Coast with such technology.
Cardiologist Dr. Robert Doria performed the first procedure at the French Hospital’s 'cath' lab on July 12.
“Our first procedure with the new technology was successful and resulted in excellent imaging of the patient’s coronary arteries and valves," Dr. Doria said. "It couldn’t have gone better. The new state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization laboratory system brings the most advanced imaging technology to the Central Coast."
The new equipment is a GE Allia IGS 730 fluoroscopy system. The system will allow physicians to serve people in the community who suffer from heart attacks and other heart and vascular conditions, officials with the hospital said in a press release.
It's the first of two identical catheterization labs that will be installed at French Hospital Medical Center, Doria said, purportedly making the center the only facility between Los Angeles and San Francisco to have the system.
Some highlights of GE Allia IGS 730 fluoroscopy system include:
● Allows a more multi-disciplinary utilization of the lab – adding flexibility for different specialists to work in the space including cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and interventional radiologists
● Features and capabilities of the system effectively future-proof the lab, allowing us to add technology and support new or breakthrough procedures. Features a fully robotic gantry system
● Applies the first AI-based, interventional image chain in the industry with training on over 6,000 procedural datasets to optimize image quality
"Patients will benefit from more precise and improved imaging of heart and vascular structures while receiving even lower radiation doses compared with the systems which have been replaced," Doria continued. "This advanced technology will significantly enhance cardiovascular diagnostics and therapies for the patients in our community for many years to come.”
