Member Article
Working in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab (CCL) means daily exposure to ionizing radiation. Every procedure relies on X-ray imaging, an essential tool for patient care but one that carries inherent risks for staff. With consistent exposure over time, it becomes critical for Cath Lab professionals to take proactive steps to minimize radiation-related health effects.
Continue reading Protecting Yourself from Radiation in the Cardiac Cath Lab – By Sarah Ertley
Member Article
Is your hospital keeping pace with the rapid evolution of medical technology? In high-acuity environments such as the cardiac catheterization laboratory, advancements in equipment and communication systems are not merely conveniences—they are critical drivers of efficiency, precision, and patient outcomes. From my experience working across eight different hospitals during clinical and professional rotations, the impact of up-to-date technology on workflow and case management is both immediate and measurable.
Continue reading Technological Advancements in the Cath Lab – By Sarah Ertley
A recent study argued that AORN operating room attire guidelines don't reduce surgical site infections (SSI), but they do increase costs per person by 10-20 times—much of that cost resulting from long-sleeve disposable jackets which cost approximately $1.04 per person.
The study (Elmously et al), presented at the Surgical Forum of the American College of Surgeons 104th Annual Clinical Congress in Boston, MA, last October, analyzed the link between the operating room attire guidelines introduced by the Association of Perioperative Registered nurses (AORN) in 2015 (updated in 2017), surgical site infections (SSIs), and the associated costs of these operating room attire guideline changes.
Continue reading Does AORN-required operating room attire really make a difference?
A popular hashtag among cardiologists on Twitter, #RadialFirst hopes to promote the adoption of transradial access for cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in cath labs across the world thanks to a deepening evidence base of positive outcomes.
The evidence shows that transradial access is associated with reductions in bleeding, vascular complications, and time to ambulation compared with a femoral approach. However, while the adoption of the transradial approach is increasing in the United States, the approach is not as widely used as it is in Europe, Canada and Asia—perhaps due to the challenges in the approach's learning curve.
So, what is the current state of the transradial approach in the United States? That is the question a new comprehensive literature review from the Duke Clinical Research Institute, published in Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications, set out to answer.