A Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention(PPCI) which is a procedure to open the heart artery which has blocked.
Patients who have a STEMI heart attack are taken directly to Altnagelvin Hospital for a Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention(PPCI) which is a procedure to open the heart artery which has blocked. This procedure is done by inserting a fine tube called a catheter in the patient’s wrist artery, passing through to the heart and opening the heart artery with a balloon on the catheter.
Further resources:
The following clip outlines the work of the Cardiac Catherisation Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital. The clip follows the experience of a patient suffering a heart attack (Myocardial infarction) – transfer to the Catheter Labs, where they immediately receive primary angioplasty treatment. Click here to view.