Nawaloka Hospitals makes history with groundbreaking catheter embolisation procedure for haemangioblastoma

Pioneering excellence as a healthcare provider in Sri Lanka, Nawaloka Hospital’s catheterisation laboratory has moved forward to perform neuroradiology interventional procedures with the arrival of state-of-the-art cardiovascular diagnostics and the advanced ‘Philips Azurion 7 C20’ Cath Lab equipment.

Nawaloka Cath Lab successfully performed Sri Lanka’s first haemangioblastoma (brain tumour) embolisation procedure on a 33-year-old male patient who was transferred from another private hospital. Due to the highly vascular nature of haemangioblastoma, this catheter embolisation was able to ease the risk and operational complications of the resection surgery.

The state-of-the-art angiography system let for unparalleled visualisation and precise diagnostics, enabling the medical team headed by Consultant Interventional Radiologist Dr. B.M.P. Bandaranayake, Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. S.K. Sharma and Nawaloka Hospital Cath Lab In-charge Nadeeka Hemachandra to navigate the intricate blood vessels with accuracy and effectiveness.

“I am deeply honoured to have been a part of a catheter embolisation procedure for a haemangioblastoma, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. This achievement showcases the remarkable capabilities of Nawaloka Hospitals in saving lives and revolutionising treatments in our country. With the new Cath Lab equipment, we are now determined to continue advancing medical capabilities, ensuring that our patients have access to solutions regardless of the complexity of the task,” Nawaloka Hospitals Cath Lab in-charge Nadeeka Hemachandra said.

The novel machine, set within the latest of the two catheterisation labs at Nawaloka Hospitals Colombo, is an image-guided therapy system, designed to deliver outstanding patient care and increase operational efficiency by uniting clinical excellence with workflow innovation. Further, the new addition doubles the hospital’s diagnostic capacity, significantly reducing critical waiting time for all patients.

“At Nawaloka Hospitals, we are driven by a relentless passion for excellence and a steadfast commitment to providing our patients with the best possible service. Our investment in cutting-edge technologies, such as the ‘Philips Azurion 7 C20’ Cath Lab equipment, reflects our unwavering determination to stay at the forefront of medical advancements. By embracing these innovative solutions, we are able to offer our patients safer, more precise, and highly effective treatments,” remarked Nawaloka Hospitals Head of Marketing Rasika Thilakaratne.

The world-class machine is used by healthcare giants across the globe to accurately diagnose and treat conditions of the cardiac and peripheral vascular, nervous, urinary, and digestive systems, as well as some oncology interventions. ‘Philips Azurion 7 C20’ significantly reduces patient exposure to ionising radiation and the use of iodinated contrast media, bringing down the risk of associated side effects.

Due to the presence of a Flex C-type arm with the equipment, the system ensures that doctors can access both 2D and 3D images of the body at the same time without the need for separate CT or MRI facilities. Overlaying of pre-MRI/CT data with cross-sectional images obtained by ‘Azurion 7 C20’ Cath Lab equipment is capable of generating a 3D road map of the patient’s body, ultimately enabling interventionists to make more accurate decisions in treatment planning. With this novel introduction, medical consultants from all across the island continue to partner with the Nawaloka Hospitals Catheterisation Lab to access the benefits of this technology and provide a higher standard of care to their patients.