Cath Lab Digest will, on occasion, publish an article that looks at an accepted issue or standard in an outside-the-box kind of way. We are fortunate to have such an article by Dr. David Allie this month, titled: Vascular Access Site Hemostasis: ˜An Endovascular Surgeon™s Perspective™ Manual Compression May Not Be Benign! Dr. Allie compares the state of today™s vascular closure devices with the beginning of the coronary stent era, and calls for more industry investment in an ideal vascular closure device.

By virtue of his background as a vascular surgeon, one important implication of Dr. Allie™s article, which begins by questioning the gold standard of manual compression, is the value of having various medical disciplines in the cardiac catheterization suite. It was his surgical training that caused Dr. Allie to look deeper into invasive cardiology™s view of post procedure hemostasis-related complications. (Ultimately, the potential value of a cross-disciplinary perspective is a worthwhile lesson when considering how best to fill an empty professional spot in your lab.)

Our cath lab spotlight this month, Charlotte Regional Medical Center, in Punta Gorda, Florida, took the brunt of Hurricane Charley in mid-August, and only recently opened its doors to patients once again. If you think you™ve had a long day today, you™ll want to read the post-hurricane news item about these dedicated and heroic cath professionals.

Cath Lab Digest also shares an excellent powerpoint presentation regarding the recent JCAHO goal of Verification of Correct Patient, Procedure and Site. Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, shares its implementation of this requirement (the results of which were met with a rave review from JCAHO).

This month™s issue will be distributed at the TCT meeting in Washington, D.C. If you™re attending, please visit Cath Lab Digest at the HMP Communications booth, #1310. Hope to see you there!

Rebecca Kapur
Managing Editor
CathLabDigest@aol.com

Knowledge is the one thing no one can ever take from you.