Looking for all opinions.....

Specialties Emergency

Published

I am really interested in your opinions on this... Our hospital recently took our low risk cath lab and expanded it. They are now doing cardiac caths, balloon pumps, temporary pacers, and stent placements on patients experiencing MI's day or night. So, now , instead of retavasing a patient and following through with that protocol, we now prep and run the patient to the cath lab as soon as the crew is ready.

My question, we do not have a cardiothoracic surgeon or an OR equipped to do open heart surgery within 50 miles, in your opinion isnt this just a little risky?? At least when we used to retavase, we would give the pt an opportunity to reperfuse before loading them on the helicopter and sending them to the heart center..

we are all just a little nervous about this. Are we overreacting?

I wouldn't want to have a procedure done at a facility w/o cardiac surgeons. JMHO.

My step-father had a perf with a cath a few years ago, if it had happened at a facility that didn't have a heart team on stand-by he would be dead. But that said, I work at a facility that does caths with no heart surgeons. We are only supposed to do low risk pts. :uhoh3:

Specializes in Critical Care Baby!!!!!.

ewwwww!!!!!! there is no way i would feel comfortable in your shoes. i can't tell you how many times we have gotten calls from our cath lab asking to talk to our surgeons stat!!!!!! emer cabg's are more frequent than people care to realize. the sooner they can get them to surgery the better!!!!! 50 miles is too far and too dangerous!!!!! just my opinion.

ewwwww!!!!!! there is no way i would feel comfortable in your shoes. i can't tell you how many times we have gotten calls from our cath lab asking to talk to our surgeons stat!!!!!! emer cabg's are more frequent than people care to realize. the sooner they can get them to surgery the better!!!!! 50 miles is too far and too dangerous!!!!! just my opinion.

i dunno... i know our docs don't do "emergency cabg's". they feel it is too risky given the recent mi and all. they will always wait at least three days. even if that means pumping them as a bridge. this is probably doctor preference... i wonder if there is any literature out there contrasting which is better.. if there is a better route.

interesting that this thread has come out... the very next day after this we had a perf on the cath lab table that was rushed to the or.

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