Mildura Cardiology is involved in several clinical trials.
This story was taken from the monthly newsletter #8 from a clinical trial called “The Odyssey” trial. It is a double blind trial run and monitored by ‘Sanofi Aventis’. The purpose of the trial is looking to develop a new form of lipid modifying therapy.
Mildura now has its own transoesophageal echocardiogram, commonly known as a TOE, which provides high quality ultrasound images of the heart.
The equipment, sent down a patient’s oesophagus to scan the heart, may not be large but, with a $75,000 price tag, obtaining one for Mildura’s cardiology department had been a long-term goal.
A substantial donation from the Mallee Health Foundation helped pay for the TOE, which cardiologist Alan Soward said could save as many as 15 patients a year from having to be flown to Melbourne or Adelaide for the scan.
The vast majority of patients who were being transported by air ambulance had significant illnesses, such as stroke or endocarditis, an infection of the heart valve.
Our current cardiology registrar is Dr Jun Hua Chong. Jun is originally from Singapore, and plans a career in cardiology. She will be with us for six months and we are enjoying her enthusiasm, skill and good humour. Later in the year, we will have Dr Jyotsna Janardan (Jo) as our registrar for six months. Jo is originally from India, and has previously been a General Medical Registrar at Mildura Base Hospital. Jo was exceptional in this role and we look forward to her return. These doctors come to Mildura on rotation from The Alfred, in Melbourne.
We have recently purchased a transoesophageal echocardiogram transducer with significant and generous contributions from the Mallee Health foundation and Mildura Base Hospital, and the purchase facilitated by Monash University Regional Clinical School.
Our particular thanks go to Fiona Wright and Ross Lanyon. A number of patients are transferred elsewhere for a transoesophageal echocardiography, and being able to do it locally will be of great convenience and benefit to our population.
Two of our echocardiogram technicians, Lisa and Margot, recently attended the Royal Adelaide Hospital for further instruction regarding the technique of transoesophageal echocardiography, and were well looked after there by one of our visiting cardiologists, Mitra Shirazi.
Mildura Cardiology is proud to host medical students wishing to further their education in the field of cardiology. Recently, we’ve played host to Ke Li Chow and Kaiyang Lim, two fifth year medical students from Monash Malaysia.
