New cath lab speeds up heart diagnoses, treatments at TMC

That’s the objective with Tucson Medical Center’s new state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization X-ray, or “cath lab,” which opened Thursday at TMC, 5301 E. Grant Road.

It’s called an Azurion and it’s designed to help doctors work efficiently by reducing preparation and procedure time, and enabling more patients to be diagnosed and treated.

This new system, which is from Philips Healthcare, can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a range of conditions.

It’s also used for procedures such as diagnostic catheterizations; stenting, in which a tiny tube is used to open a blockage; and balloon angioplasty, which is used to restore blood flow through a blocked artery.

The equipment includes a fully digital system that enables physicians to capture and view detailed images of a patient’s coronary structure, thereby enabling faster diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease.

And it’s used in what’s called a hybrid room, meaning doctors can perform full surgeries, if that’s needed.

Or the doctors can use it to perform minimally invasive procedures for a wide range of issues, including coronary artery disease.

The final benefits? Shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery time without the pain that comes from a large incision and less visible surgical scarring.