A new screening service is now being provided at Broomfield hospital. Male cardiac patients are regarded as being at high risk of developing aortic aneurysms, so when they come into hospital to receive an angiogram, they now also receive an ultra sound scan that can detect an aneurysm.
“When a patient has an angiogram they have to lie down for between four to five hours afterwards so we thought we could put this time to good use by providing them with the scan at the same time. It could save their life.”
So far registrar Dr Abela has scanned 80 patients in the coronary care unit and found four aneurysms. One patient had a large aneurysm which required immediate surgery.
