Vienna General Hospital expands department of cardio-thoracic surgery

Although Vienna’s capacity for cardiac surgery is exceptionally good in international comparison, the clinical department for cardio-thoracic surgery at Vienna’s General Hospital is being further expanded

300 more cardiac operations per year

In Vienna, two centres have evolved in cardio-thoracic surgery: one is the Vienna General Hospital, the other Hietzing Hospital. At the General Hospital, some 1,280 cardiac operations are carried out every year, and at Hietzing Hospital about 870. This corresponds to about 1,287 operations per every million population and represents extremely good utilized capacity compared to other countries around the world. Dr. Reinhard Krepler, medical director of the General Hospital, is delighted that Vienna is among the world’s top hospitals for cardio-thoracic surgery: “Dr. Wolner set up the cardio-thoracic surgery department and has put together an outstanding team.”

In addition to the doctors, cardio technicians and a nursing team complement the team of specialists. The further expansion of the department will make it possible to increase the number of cardiac operations by 300 a year. “Since our maxim for 2008 is to “reduce waiting times”, I am particularly pleased that the wait for complex heart surgery will be further reduced with this expansion of the cardiac surgery department at the General Hospital”, city councillor for health Sonja Wehsely stated. The city councillor is particularly keen to introduce a universal health care system that would allow everyone – regardless of income and background – to receive the very best medical care.

New ward and new OP

In May 2008, the General Hospital will have another high-tech cardiac surgery operating room at its disposal. The price tag is about EUR 650,000. In addition, a new heart surgery/cardiology ward will be built with a total of 28 beds. When all is said and done, the City of Vienna will have created another 24 jobs with its expansion of the cardio-thoracic surgery department at the General Hospital. The Medical University Vienna is expecting the expansion to result in additional research by the clinical cardio-thoracic surgery department, which is a particularly attractive feature for the training of medical students.

OP rooms extremely well utilized

Dr. Ernst Wolner, head of the clinical department of cardio-thoracic surgery at the General Hospital, stresses that they are already doing all they can to delay as few heart operations as possible. Naturally, priority is given to patients with life-threatening conditions, such as rupture of the aorta, cardiac injury and organ transplants. Due to emergencies such as these, at present other operations are postponed about two or three times a week. The additional OP will improve this situation significantly. “I hope that this will basically put an end to that situation”, said Wolner. The average waiting period for heart surgery for example at Hietzing Hospital is about four to six weeks. This is approximately the time needed for the necessary preparatory measures. It has been possible to achieve such short waiting periods only by introducing more flexibility in working hours and expanding operating hours.

 

Links

Allgemeines Krankenhaus - Universitätskliniken Medizinische Universität Wien