• emergency treatment of heart attacks
• coronary angiograms and angioplasty (including paediatric cases)
• electrophysiology studies and treatment
• placing of implantable defibrillators, resynchronizers and pacemakers

• Coronary artery bypass
• Valve replacement and repair
• Thoracic aortic surgery
• Paediatric heart surgery

• fully diagnostic heart clinic
• ambulatory blood pressure testing
• holter monitoring
• exercise stress testing
• echocardiography
• cerebral angiograms
• cerebral aneurysm coiling and stenting
• peripheral angiograms and angioplasty
• Fibroid embolization

Sometimes in order to understand the character of a patient's blood pressure we need to measure it continually throughout a twenty four (24) hour period. At the end of the period the patients blood pressure measurements are printed out on a data sheet for analysis by the Cardiologist.

This investigation monitors the patient's ECG continually throughout a twenty four (24) hour period. At the end of the period the Cardiologist reviews a computer printout of the results. This test is used to analyse heart arrythmias.

The patient is asked to exercise on a treadmill and a continuous ECG is done while the patient is being exercised. This test is used to diagnose when the heart muscle is being starved of oxygen. Oxygen starvation by the heart muscle is usually due to blocked coronary arteries.

This test is used to find out which of the coronary arteries are blocked. This is done in the Cath Lab. A catather is guided to the heart through the femoral artery in the groin by the Cardiologist. A dye is then injected into the coronary artery and digital pictures are taken. These pictures are then made into a film by the computers and stored in a CD. The CD is then viewed by the cardiologist and he determines which of the coronary arteries are blocked. At this point he decides whether the blocked arteries could be corrected by angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery. Similar angiogram studies are done on any artery of the body, example leg, bowel, brain, etc.

Quite often a blocked coronary artery could be unblocked by angioplasty which is done in the Cath lab. The Cardiologist guides a deflated balloon into the blocked artery. Once it is in place the balloon is inflated. This procedure expands the blocked artery thereby allowing free oxygenated blood flow. At this time the heart muscle that was once starved of oxygen now regains its normal function. Most times in order to prevent the artery from collapsing a support mesh is deployed within the artery. This mesh is called a stent. Angiogram and angioplasty are two modalities that are used to unblock any blocked arteries in the body besides the arteries of the heart. In fact the process is commonly used in arteries of the brain, neck, kidneys, legs and gut. Many times a leg can be saved from amputation by angioplasty.

There are many procedures that are done in our Cath Lab that avoids patients having to undergo brain surgery. Procedures such as Cereberal Aneurysms, AV fistula and chemoembolisation for brain tumors are all undertaken at our Cath Lab.

The carotid arteries in the neck take oxygenated blood from the heart to the brain. When these arteries are blocked the patient becomes prone to a stroke. We perform angioplasty to these arteries thus preventing strokes in patients with carotid disease.

This is commonly called a hole in the heart. It is a defect in the septum that separates the right and left atria thus allowing mixing of blood between the right and left sides of the heart. Now instead of having to undergo open heart surgery to close this defect it is closed at our Cath Lab using a device called an umbrella. The patient usually has a hospital stay of 24 hours. We also perform other paediatric heart procedures such as PDA's and valvuloplasties.

Sometimes a patient's heart rate goes too slow and requires pacing. Should this be the case the cardiologist inserts a pace maker which stimulates the heart to beat at the required heart rate.

This is a non-invasive procedure. A probe is placed on the chest wall or in the stomach. A picture of the blood flow of the heart is generated and displayed on a monitor. This test is particularly important for assessing the heart valves. Sometimes the probe is inserted into the stomach instead of the chest wall. This is called a transoesophageal (TOE).

If you are unable to exercise, this non invasive test is an alternative to an exercise stress test for evaluating coronary artery disease. The medication dobutamine is taken to stimulate the effects of exercise on your heart and an echocardiogram is done before and after the medication is administered..