Nurses and technicians

Today the 2nd part of the N&T sessions, chaired by Robbert Vermeulen, will focus on new procedures which have been recently introduced in some catheterisation laboratories in Europe. These 'Futuristic techniques' provide us with the possible future of cardiac interventions.

Guide wire advancement with the help of a magnet navigation system. Sander van Weenen will talk about using Stereotaxis in passing tortuous lesions without the burden of large amounts of contrast media;

Left ventricular unloading using IABP and Impella®. Margherita Vaccaro Notte has studied these two methods during complex PCI; The additional value of bringing MSCT into the cathlab for the treatment of complex lesions;

Mechanical chest compressions. Karl Berggren has developed an algorithm for the use of the LUCAS™ pump, and presents the results of a 4 year study in Sweden;

Injecting cultivated stem cells into the myocardium. Louise Hansen, the last speaker in this year's N&T sessions, has studied 31 patients with severe CAD or heart failure.