This week on Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Eric Radtke, Vice President at Worldwide Innovations & Technologies, Inc, and Barbara Breininger, a cardiovascular radiologic technologist and clinical manager with 26 years of experience.
This special episode dives deep into the crucial topic of radiation hygiene, exploring it from the perspectives of both manufacturers and users of radiation safety products.
Barbara Breininger shares her experiences traveling nationwide to educate healthcare professionals on radiation safety, emphasizing the need for collective awareness and best practices in cath labs.
Eric Radtke discusses the company's evolving focus on radiation safety, the origins of their initiatives, and the concerning impacts of radiation exposure as revealed by recent studies. We'll also explore practical steps to enhance safety and delve into the RADPAD tools that can shield interventional cardiologists and allied professionals from exposure.
How can we protect ourselves from radiation in the Cath lab? How can we raise awareness of radiation hygiene?
Trials mentioned in the episode:
Aizer A, Qiu JK, Cheng AV, et al. Utilization of a Radiation Safety Time-Out Reduces Radiation Exposure During Electrophysiology Procedures. JACC EP 2019; 5:5:626-634. doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2018.12.002
Ahmad IM, Abdalla YM, Moore TA, et al. Healthcare Workers Occupationally Exposed to Ionizing Radiation Exhibit Altered Levels of Inflammatory Cytokines and Redox Parameters. Antioxidants 2019; 8:1. doi.org/10.3390/antiox8010012
Support: This episode is supported by Radcliffe Cardiology; it received no funding from Worldwide Innovations & Technologies.
Dr Gerdisch shares insights into his research on rigid sternal fixation and enhanced recovery protocols, which have shown promising results in postoperative pain management and patient recovery.
Together, Dr Kalra and Dr Darlington delve into the significance of assessing volume status in patients with heart failure, highlighting its continued relevance in 2024, including the availability of new diagnostic tools, including the Heart Failure Management System (HFMS).
This series is supported by ZOLL and is intended for Health Care Professionals.
In this week’s Parallax, Dr Kanaa’N, the director of the program, and Dr Lahorra, chairman of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Department of Akron General introduce the listeners to the foundations of their program and the paradigm shift brought by TAVR.
Ankur Kalra asks Grant W Reed, Director of the Cleveland Clinic’s STEMI program, to reflect on the actions they took and the challenges of delaying cardiovascular procedures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Reed offers insight on the factors that influenced the Cleveland Clinic’s STEMI policy for COVID-19. Ankur and Grant discuss the triage considerations for patients with structural heart disease and the steps the clinic took to protect its healthcare workers.
In this edition of Parallax Dr Kalra asked Dr Rosenbaum about the influences that shaped her choices as a writer and as a healthcare professional. Dr Rosenbaum opens up about her childhood and how she connected to her grandfather through writing and medicine. We learn about Lisa’s first day at medical school and her latest writing project.
Jagmeet P Singh, associate chief of the cardiology division at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School joins Ankur Kalra for a deep conversation about his journey across three continents. Dr Singh talks about the importance of choosing fulfilment over success. We gain more insights on the recent late-breaking trial, MADIT-CHIC focusing on cardiac resynchronization therapy. Ankur asks Jag about his experience of being on the other side of the healthcare system and his enrolment in the since halted remdesivir trial.
Prof Michele Senni is Director of Cardiology at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo Italy. He contracted COVID-19 himself and in this latest podcast he meets with Ankur Kalra, MD to discuss his personal experience in dealing with patients and COVID-19 in Europe’s outbreak epicentre.
Hear them discuss the burden on healthcare, patient selection, the importance of testing and PPE and how COVID has resulted in a reduction of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure in patients.