5th May 2010
Detailed film footage of open heart surgery performed on the
beating hearts of two patients at the Bristol Heart Institute will
be shown to an audience as part of this years Bristol Festival of
Ideas at 7pm on Monday 10 May at St Georges Bristol.
In Bristol Heart Surgery - filmed earlier in the
year - cardiac surgeon Gavin Murphy from University Hospitals
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust will explain on camera the surgical
procedures he and the surgical team are carrying out.
Beating heart surgery means that the surgical team doesnt use a
heart/lung machine nor stop the heart to perform the surgery. The
operation is performed using a pressure/suction stabiliser as
developed in the 1990s by Professor Gianni Angelini, director of
the Cardiac Unit at the Bristol Heart Institute. Prior to
obtaining his degree in medicine, Professor Angelini had qualified
as a mechanical engineer. While developing the beating heart
technique he was able to use his expertise in cardiac surgery
coupled with his background in engineering to invent a stabiliser
that simplified the surgery.
The stabiliser is similar to the foot on a sewing machine and
allows the cardiac surgeon to carry out precision work on the
coronaries of the heart. The beating heart method is now widely
used throughout the world and has shown to significantly reduce
post-operative complications, hospital stay and costs, with
enormous benefits to patients.
Following the filmed operation, Professor Gianni Angelini will
be in conversation with Dr Vivienne Nathanson, director of
professional activities at the British Medical Association
(BMA). The issues surrounding the development of new or
experimental surgical techniques in patients will be discussed and
there will be an opportunity for questions from the floor.
Robert Woolley, Acting Chief Executive at the Trust, says:
This is an important event for the Trust, as the largest teaching
and research hospital in the south west; this is another example of
our commitment to research and development and how we believe it
delivers real improvements to patient care. We are proud of
the work of the Bristol Heart Institute and hope that many people
will come along to be part of this fascinating event.
This event has links with Science City Bristol. The Bristol city
region was designated one of six Science Cities by the government
in 2005 in recognition of its outstanding achievements and
strengths in science.
Tickets for Bristol Heart Surgery are priced £10 and are
available either from the box office at St Georges Bristol on 0845
402 4001 or online at www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
