Radiological Treatment Method Spares Patients Surgery And Offers 89 Percent Cost Savings
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 - 13:28
in Health & Medicine
Pericardial effusion, the collection of fluid around the heart, typically occurs in patients following heart surgery and is usually treated using an invasive surgical drainage technique. However researchers have discovered that a minimally invasive procedure called CT-guided tube pericardiostomy is just as effective -- requiring no recovery time, fewer resources, and provides an 89 percent cost savings over the surgical drainage technique, according to a new study.