Aug 08, 2023

Caretaker from Spalding is the first patient to benefit from new heart laser procedure with Philips Innovation at Royal Papworth Hospital

• Excimer Laser Coronary Atherectomy treats narrows stents and ensured Michael avoided bypass surgery
• Minimally invasive procedure carried out by hospital’s catheter lab team
• Patients from across the East of England set to benefit

Farnborough, United Kingdom – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) - a global leader in healthcare technology, and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, today recognise the first Papworth patient to receive minimally invasive heart procedure, using innovative Philips Laser technology.

A caretaker from Spalding, Lincolnshire has become the first patient at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to benefit from a minimally invasive heart procedure using Philips (Spectranetics) CVX Laser system called an Excimer Laser Coronary Atherectomy (ELCA), avoiding the need for bypass surgery.

Michael Bronze (63), underwent an Excimer Laser Coronary Atherectomy (ELCA), which is used to treat stents in coronary arteries that are under-expanded or have re-narrowed. The stents are cleaned via a laser, in a minimally invasive procedure which leads to a quicker recovery time.

Mr Bronze, who works in a care home, first suffered a heart attack in 1999 after which he had stents fitted into his coronary arteries to widen them to allow blood to flow more freely. Over the years he had additional stents fitted but was recently suffering from breathlessness and arm pain.

Originally being referred to Peterborough City Hospital for an angiogram, he was then referred onto Royal Papworth Hospital, the UK’s leading heart and lung hospital.

Initially told heart bypass surgery was his only option, Michael was then offered this new procedure, performed under local anaesthetic.

After inspection via a camera through his wrist, he had his stents lasered clean in approximately three hours by a cath lab team led by consultant cardiologist, Dr Stephen Hoole. He was in hospital for just one day, rather than the much longer stay associated with cardiac surgery.

I knew I’d probably have to have a bypass so to get the call and be told about this new procedure was very refreshing and I was delighted to get it done. I felt a little delicate at first after the procedure but I’m so chuffed. One significant thing I’ve noticed is that I’m not so breathless and I’ve got more clearness in my head as more blood and oxygen gets to my brain. I’ve felt so much better, although I can never sit still so I’ve had to beware of overdoing it straight away. I’d like to thank the staff at Royal Papworth Hospital for offering me this new procedure and for their expert care.”

Michael Bronze

patient

Under-expanded and renarrowed stents are particularly challenging to treat. ELCA offers the ability to vaporise obstructive tissue inside and outside the stent, enabling improved stent expansion and improving blood flow to downstream heart muscle, relieving angina as well as reducing the risk of future stent failure. I’d like to thank the whole catheter laboratory team here at Royal Papworth Hospital, our partners Philips, and Dr Peter O’Kane from Royal Bournemouth Hospital for making this Royal Papworth Hospital first possible. A particular mention also to senior physiologist Sandra Silva who also helped ensure laser safety with staff laser training updates. We look forward to being able to offer this new treatment to more patients with complex coronary disease subsets within our wider region.”

Dr Stephen Hoole

consultant cardiologist at Royal Papworth Hospital

We are delighted that the team at Royal Papworth were able to deliver their first laser atherectomy case using Philips innovation, a true milestone for local patients with heart disease. The Philips (Spectranetics) CVX Laser system, built on more than 20 years proven technology, offers clinical versatility to safely treat complex conditions. The simple procedure utilises cool ultraviolet laser with a sonic wave, for precise treatment with minimal or no damage to surrounding tissue.”

Oliver Goss

Philips Image Guided Therapy Specialist Leader

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being through meaningful innovation. Philips’ patient- and people-centric innovation leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver personal health solutions for consumers and professional health solutions for healthcare providers and their patients in the hospital and the home. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, ultrasound, image-guided therapy, monitoring, and enterprise informatics, as well as in personal health. Philips generated 2022 sales of EUR 17.8 billion and employs approximately 77,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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About Royal Papworth Hospital

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK’s leading heart and lung hospital, treating around 50,000 patients each year. The Trust is currently rated 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), from an inspection carried out in 2019. It became the first hospital Trust in the country to receive the top rating of 'outstanding' in each of the five main domains that the CQC assesses. Since carrying out the UK’s first successful heart transplant in 1979, the hospital now performs more heart, heart-lung and lung transplants each year than any other UK centre.

Royal Papworth Hospital is a member of Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP), a partnership between one of the world's leading universities and three NHS Foundation Trusts. CUHP delivers world-class excellence in healthcare, research, clinical education and improves the health of people across Cambridgeshire, the East of England and nationally.

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