Cardiac Services

Cabrini Cardiac is a leader in heart care. We are here to guide and support you through your cardiac journey, offering innovative technology, modern accommodation and specialised nursing teams. Cardiology has been at the heart of Cabrini for more than 50 years and will continue to be a flagship service well into the future.

Cabrini offers a broad range of cardiac services from a 24 hour emergency department, full range of cardiac diagnostics, minimally invasive procedures to open heart surgery.

Cabrini cardiac specialists represent the best in their field. Our cardiologists, interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons are highly specialised, experienced professionals, committed to providing quality care.

With Cabrini’s diagnostic services onsite, including our own Cardiorespiratory Department, everything you need in your cardiac journey is close at hand.

Cardiorespiratory Department

Equipped with the latest technology, the Cardiorespiratory Department plays an important role in the fast, accurate detection and diagnosis of heart problems which may not have shown any obvious symptoms. From the latest in ultrasound technology to a multi-function Live 3D trans oesophageal echocardiogram in combination with four high-tech echocardiography systems, cardiologists can take action before the conditions become life-threatening.

Services and procedures:

• Echocardiogram
• Holter monitoring
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE)
• Exercise stress echocardiogram
• Exercise stress test (EST)
• Paediatric echocardiography
• Dobutamine stress test
• Transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) 

Download our cardiorespiratory referral form

Medical imaging

Cabrini’s medical imaging at Malvern and Brighton offers patients access to world-leading medical imaging equipment. Our radiologists have expertise in a wide range of sub-specialities supported by our dedicated and highly qualified radiographers, technical and nursing staff.

All of our reporting consultants are dual-accredited, providing a wide range of clinical expertise. To enhance your diagnostic outcome, we can offer bookings on the days that the relevant cardiac consultants are on-site.

Cardiac CT (computed tomography) is one of the fast, effective and accurate imaging tests we offer to look at the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

Find out more about Cabrini Medical Imaging

Nuclear medicine

Cabrini provides a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures.

Nuclear medicine is an imaging modality which uses radioactive tracers to image physiological processes in the body, which enables doctors to provide a quick, accurate diagnosis of many conditions such as heart disease.

Cabrini’s nuclear medicine department ensures you have access to the highest quality state-of-the-art technology that optimises clinical diagnosis and patient outcomes. We perform highly specialised tests include gated cardiac blood pool scans, myocardial perfusion stress tests and cardiac pyrophosphate scans.

Find out more about Cabrini nuclear medicine

Pathology

Cabrini provides a quality pathology service for the rapid diagnosis of disease and subsequent patient monitoring. Our primary focus is the provision of a quality diagnostic service to Cabrini patients and onsite consultants.

Learn more about our pathology services

Acute Cardiac Unit

Cabrini’s Acute Cardiac Unit is specifically designed to provide high-dependency, specialised care for a range of cardiac conditions. Compassionate care is combined with unparalleled expertise and knowledge, odern accommodation, specialised nursing and personalised rehabilitation programs.

Once a diagnosis has been made, your cardiologist may recommend a procedure to achieve the best health outcome. Cabrini offers a wide range of cardiac procedures from minimally invasive procedures to heart surgery.

• 3D-Mapping
• Artery graft
• Cardioversion
• Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation
• Coronary angiogram
• Coronary angioplasty
• Coronary artery bypass surgery
• Defibrillator insertion
• Electrophysiology study (EPS)
• Heart valve implantation and repair
• Loop recorder insertion
• MitraClip
• Pacemaker insertion/replacement
• Thoracic surgery (or cardiothoracic surgery)
• Trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)
• Valvuloplasty

Cardiac catheterisation labs are a critical part of an acute cardiac service. At Cabrini Malvern, our two versatile and purpose-built labs have sophisticated imaging systems central to minimally invasive cardiac and cardiovascular procedures. The systems are faster and more efficient than conventional models, so patients spend less time on the operating table.

Hybrid theatres, which are becoming more common in major hospitals around the world, match real time imaging with scans taken preoperatively. In Cabrini’s state-of-the-art hybrid theatres our specialists can pivot if needed from a minimally invasive operation to conventional heart surgery without moving the patient, as all staff and equipment are already in place.

TAVI (Transcatheter aortic valve implantation)

TAVI is a minimally invasive surgical procedure for people with severe aortic stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve which restricts blood flow to the heart. The procedure is suitable for elderly people with co-morbidities such as kidney dysfunction or previous heart attacks who cannot undergo open heart surgery. Sufferers experience breathlessness, fainting, difficulty with physical activities due to breathing problems and chest pain.

Download our TAVI brochure 

MitraClip

The heart’s mitral valve has an important role to play in helping to control blood flow through the heart. Regurgitation occurs when there is a backflow of blood from the heart’s left ventricle to the left atrium. Its cause is the failure of the mitral valve to seal shut. If left untreated the heart can no longer pump enough blood around the body.

Previously the only treatment options were medication to treat symptoms or open-heart surgery to repair or replace the valve.

The MitraClip system is now a third option. It uses a thin flexible tube, or catheter, guided through the femoral vein in the leg to the heart. The MitraClip itself is fed through the tube to attach directly to the mitral valve where it clips the valve’s leaflets together allowing the heart to pump blood more efficiently.

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cabrini offers a wide range of cardiothoracic surgical procedures performed in highly equipped theatres. Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in surgical treatment of organs inside the thorax – in general, treatment of conditions of the heart and lungs. Surgical services provided at Cabrini include

• Coronary artery bypass graft surgery
• Cardiac valve surgery
• Aortic surgery
• Advanced aortic and mitral valve repair
• Minimally invasive mitral valve
• Tricuspid valve and ASD surgery

In addition, all aspects of acute and chronic thoracic aortic disease including both open and stent graft repairs are performed.

ICU

Following cardiothoracic surgery, patients will be stabilised within the intensive care unit (ICU), offering highly trained professionals and sophisticated equipment before transfer to the close observation unit (COU) in the cardiothoracic surgical ward for continuous monitoring during the recovery period.

Cabrini’s rehabilitation specialists help you to plan and achieve recovery goals that work best for you, your family and your lifestyle.

We identify opportunities to improve your physical, emotional and social wellbeing, providing education and support to help manage your heart condition. Cabrini rehabilitation programs help you get on with life. 

Cardiac Rehabilitation Program

If you have heart disease or a pre-existing condition, cardiac rehabilitation, which includes an exercise program, can have important health benefits. Research has found rehabilitation can reduce the recurrence of cardiovascular disease-related issues by up to 35 per cent.

At Cabrini, we offer a group exercise, education and support programs. The program caters for patients diagnosed with a heart and blood vessel-related disease, or who have had a recent episode due to a pre-existing condition such as heart attack, angioplasty or bypass surgery.

Ongoing support can be arranged through our maintenance exercise support programs.

Heart Failure Program

Cabrini provides high quality and holistic care for heart failure patients and their families, including: patient reviews in hospital, home visits, telephone support and a group exercise program.

Our Chronic Heart Failure Services caters for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of chronic heart failure caused by a heart attack, or long-term health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease.

We run a program to help patients improve their quality of life, consisting of two parts:

•  One-on-one contact with a nurse specialising in chronic heart failure care. They may support you at one of our hospitals, or in your home, depending on your needs.
• A 12 session group program which runs for six weeks.

Ultimately, the program aims to help boost your emotional health, increase independence, improve physical functions like walking and strength, and reduce fatigue and shortness of breath.

For greater patient convenience, if you are booked to have an angiogram, angioplasty, pacemaker or defibrillator insertion or an electrophysiology study, you will be admitted directly to the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory.

This video offers you a step-by-step guide of a standard Angiogram /Angioplasty procedure. You will be shown this video at Cabrini after the general admission process and prior to your procedure.

Cardiology management during COVID-19

Please visit Cabrini's Coronavirus page for full information on changes across Cabrini.