End to travel pain for heart patients

Date Published: 26-Jun-2007

THE third Cardiothoracic Unit in Ireland has opened in University Hospital Galway – ensuing that patients living in the West of Ireland will no longer have to travel to Dublin or Cork for major heart surgery.

When fully operational the unit will carry out between 300- 400 major heart operations per year. In the region of 200 Thoracic Surgeries will be carried out at the unit.

According to Mr Dave Veerasigam, a Cardiothoracic Surgeon in the hospital, “this is a milestone for the region. The increase in population means that such services are a necessity in the area”.

He went on to say, “this will pave the way for further specialists in the area”.

When finished there will be six intensive care beds, four high dependency beds and 10 ward beds. Currently the unit is working at half capacity. The unit has being commissioned in two parts and will be fully operational from 2008