Lafayette
LGMC performing live procedures, broadcast worldwide
Posted: Jun 6, 2012 5:19 PM by Erin Steuber
Updated: Jun 6, 2012 5:59 PM
It's a first for Lafayette General Medical Center, performing surgical procedures on a live broadcast worldwide. Lafayette doctors took their expertise global. The live broadcast is a teaching tool, showcasing cutting-edge equipment that safely removes blockages, repairs arteries and reestablishes blood flow. While hospitals around the world could look in, this procedure was part of a conference on peripheral arterial disease, or PAD, in New Orleans. PAD affects 12 million Americans each year and the number is climbing. It increases your chance for coronary heart disease, a heart attack or stroke.
"Over 2,000 individuals that come see the conference from all over the world," said Dr. Nick Cavros. "There's live cases piped in from Germany and Phoenix, Arizona from very, very big centers around the world and we're very proud to be one of those centers."
This procedure is treating difficult cases of PAD. It's a blockage or build-up of cholesterol in arteries anywhere outside the heart.
"We are showcasing technologies that are currently available in their own community that allows us to take care of complex disease in the periphery," said Dr. John Patterson.
LGMC was chosen because the doctors are considered experts in the field.
"We have three of the worlds experts in peripheral vascular disease that are all located in the Lafayette region," said Patterson.
The broadcast allows doctors at LGMC to show doctors worldwide how arterial blockages can be opened up.
"We're sharing knowledge, skills, pearls, helping people around the world understand how to use these technologies, when to use them, technique, things that are really hard to get out of a classroom," said Patterson.
LGMC is one of seven hospitals participating worldwide. Doctors here will perform live procedures until June 8.
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