Sanguine to the vision of Asha Hospital, Kamptee, of bringing in and deploying the latest technologies on offer in the healthcare arena, Asha Hospital has gone in for Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in its Department of Cardiology. This is a diagnostic imaging tool that uses light waves to create high-resolution images of blood vessels and other tissues. It can be used during angioplasty, a procedure to unblock clogged arteries, to help guide the placement of stents and other devices. This is a combination of digital imaging technology and artificial intelligence that is built as an automated system for cardiac procedures, according to Dr. Rajendra Agrawal, Director of Asha Hospital.
Speaking to our correspondent, Dr. Saurabh Agrawal, Director of Asha Hospital, explained, “To give clinicians a real-time, cross-sectional look into potential blockages of the heart’s major arteries is one of the main advantages of OCT in angiography and angioplasty. Its ability to provide more detailed information about the inside of blood vessels is what clinicians and patients would benefit from. This can help doctors determine the size and location of plaque buildups as well as the thickness and quality of arterial walls. This information can be useful in selecting the appropriate type and size of stent to use during the procedure.”
OCT can also be used during and after the angioplasty procedure to verify that the stent has been placed correctly and is functioning properly. This can help reduce the risk of complications, such as stent thrombosis (the formation of blood clots within the stent) or re-narrowing of the artery (known as restenosis). Catheters equipped with optical coherence tomography, which uses laser light, are deployed to scan the interior of a blood vessel and the immediately surrounding tissues to detect calcium and plaque deposits while also instantly measuring the diameter of an artery, explained Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Ajit R. Menon from a reputed hospital in Mumbai, who inaugurated this initiative along with a team of interventional cardiologists from Asha Hospital comprising Dr. Kshitij Dadhe and Dr. Snehal Rangari.
Overall, the use of OCT in angioplasty can help improve the accuracy and safety of the procedure, leading to better patient outcomes. OCT is designed to provide cardiologists with prompt information during the placement of coronary stents, faster and more precisely compared to conventional angiography imaging. The use of OCT imaging—as well as accompanying AI software for processing the incoming images—will score over devices such as intravascular ultrasound-based devices for coronary procedures. Undoubtedly, the use of laser light promises to deliver higher-resolution images. Asha Hospital has this latest version. OPTIS PLUS NEXT is the FIRST machine to be installed in Maharashtra, said Dr. Russel Lawrie, CEO of Asha Hospital.
