A COMPLEX heart procedure carried out by surgeons at Worcestershire Royal Hospital was broadcast live to a national cardiology conference last month.

The angioplasty – a routine procedure opening up arteries which have become narrowed or blocked as a result of angina or a heart attack – carried out at the hospital’s cardiac catheter lab on Friday, January 23 was filmed and streamed live to the Advanced Cardiology Intervention Conference in London.

A pair of remote control cameras were set up in the lab – one on the ceiling and one on the IV drip – and the operation was watched by more than 500 attendees.

The hospital’s lead cardiologist Dr Jasper Trevelyan said it was “a great honour” to be picked to take part in the conference.

“The decision to choose Worcestershire Royal Hospital as an example is a great endorsement of the work we have been doing here,” he said.

“This is the first non-surgery cardiac centre to be asked to demonstrate its work.

Divisional medical director Dr Anthony Scriven said: “It was exciting for us to take part in this filming as this conference is one of the major UK and international cardiology meetings and this is the first time a unit like this has been asked to do this.

“For the past 20 years the live case demos have always been from big tertiary centres, so for us it is an amazing achievement with recognition internationally.”

The Royal was one of only four hospitals in the country asked to take part in the conference and was votes second best of all cases demonstrated during the conference.