NEW interventional radiology suites which will enable teams to carry out more complex procedures have been unveiled at two hospital sites.

The suites, based at Glan Clwyd Hospital at Bodelwyddan and Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, benefit from modern imaging equipment. Developed by Philips, as part of their £2m refurbishment, radiology teams will be provided with better quality images to improve their service.

Interventional radiologists deal with a range of conditions including narrowing of the arteries where balloons or stents are used to stretch the artery, using x-ray images to guide them, to restore the blood supply to avoid amputation.

Specialised treatments are also provided for bleeding, blood clots, blocked veins, tumours, menstrual bleeding, and kidney and gall stones.

Alan Atkinson, principal interventional radiographer for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), said: “The completion of the new suite now means people in the immediate vicinity of Glan Clwyd Hospital can undergo complex vascular work, when they would have previously gone to Wrexham Maelor Hospital or Ysbyty Gwynedd.

"It really brings the organisation into the 21st century in terms of the imaging equipment we use to provide our treatments. This is the latest, state-of-the-art equipment which gives an incredible quality of image.

"It’s also about the breadth of what it can do - we can do CT imaging, which allows us to treat people more accurately, and the room has been built to a theatre-quality standard, which further improves the care we can provide.

"It’s giving far more up-to-date imaging quality, allowing us to do more complex procedures, and provide care with improved safety.”

Dr Kakali Mitra, consultant interventional radiologist in Ysbyty Gwynedd, said: “The new theatre suite for interventional radiology brings an improvement for patients requiring minimally invasive surgery and the staff working in the department.

"We have been carrying out interventional radiology for a number of years but the new facilities make the whole experience much more comfortable and safer for patients.

"The new suites at Ysbyty Gwynedd and Glan Clwyd Hospital will enable us to carry out more procedures and help to expand our service. We are now looking forward to developing new techniques in the future and our new suites will also help attract new interventional radiologists to come and work for the health board."