The new interventional radiology suite at Kelowna General Hospital is proving successful in its first weeks being open.
Provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix was in Kelowna Aug. 14 to tour the new suite.
“This IR suite shows our continued efforts at this hospital to give the highest possible level of care.”
The new suite is a stark upgrade from the old one.
“This brings us up to par with the other top sites in Vancouver,” said interventional radiologist Dr. Nevin De Korompay.
The new equipment provides safer treatment and can drastically cut down the time a patient spends in hospital.
“One of the examples I was showing the minister was a fellow who had kidney cancer. Twenty years ago you’d have a surgery, you’d come in and stay for a few days. Because of this room, we are able to bring them in here and do a combination of live x-rays, ultrasound… The patient had some bowel in the way. We were able to push that away, follow it through CT, and, using a needle, follow the needle directly to the tumor, and burn the tumor. That patient goes home for lunch, that’s the difference we can offer those patients now.”
The new suite cost $9.6 million and was funded by the KGH Foundation, Interior Health, and the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital District.
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