The Congenital Cardiology team at Leeds Children’s Hospital were visited by five Interventional Cardiologists all the way from the USA last week.
Visitors included: Prof Vivian Dimas from Medical City Children’s Hospital; Prof Gareth Morgan and Dr Jenny Zablah from Children’s Hospital Colorado; and Prof Tom Forbes from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
Many of our supporters, patients and families will also recognise visitor Prof. John Thomson who left the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit a few years ago to work in the USA at Johns Hopkins Medicine. It was wonderful to have him back in Leeds.
The clinicians were also accompanied by representatives from Braun USA and Occlutech.
The group flew over to learn about an ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) device, new to the USA that we have considerable experience with here in Leeds. This device will begin to be used in the USA this year.
Leeds has the largest congenital intervention programme in the UK and has considerable experience with using new devices and introducing them into practice – offering patients born with heart disease across Yorkshire, The Humber, North East Lincolnshire and North Derbyshire the very latest and best equipment and devices to treat congenital heart conditions.
John Thomson worked at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit from 1998 until 2021.
In that time, he led the Cath lab team and was the overall lead for the service as well as being a consultant cardiologist in both paediatric and adult congenital heart disease.
The Leeds Congenital Heart Unit is a world-class centre of excellence and is leading the way in congenital cardiac care. Children’s Heart Surgery Fund is the dedicated charity for the unit, and we are so proud to support this incredible service in our region.
Our guests from the USA had some brilliant feedback for the team at Leeds including:
“…thank you and your team for the superb work and hospitality displayed this week. We couldn’t have asked for a better demonstration of how to use the device and I know everyone learnt a huge amount.”
It’s such an honour to be able to host international visitors in Leeds, and share our learnings and practices that will benefit patients across the globe.
The exceptional cardiac service in Leeds is only possible with the support of Children’s Heart Surgery Fund and that is thanks to our amazing supporters and fundraisers!
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