Tulane

RESOURCEFUL SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEART

The Pediatric Heart Center at Tulane Hospital for Children debuted the first and only combined Hybrid Cath Lab / Operating Room Suite in Louisiana. One of just ten hybrid cath labs in the country, Tulane’s lab is a fully equipped pediatric catheterization lab as well as a full operating room. Here cardiologists and surgeons work side-by-side to open the chest, place delivery catheters in the heart, and deploy devices.

To begin work on the project, representatives of associated office systems met with VergesRome architects and the surgeons and technicians who use the room. “Our client, the physician in charge of the program, had garnered funding through a grant,” said Angelle Verges. “So, he had very specific directives for the structure and details of the suite including the storage of the equipment.” Hamilton Casework Solutions engineered and delivered the precise storage system specifications necessary for this project. The Cath Lab featured laminate cabinets with thermofoil fronts.

Supporting the laminate cabinets were steel bases that eliminate wicking action and may be epoxied into the floor. The epoxied bases create a smooth cleaning surface from floor to cabinet. Custom components with short and long roll-outs were required to hold catheter bags of various sizes. To save time and money, the specialty interiors were housed inside standard cabinets. Cabinets needed to match the height of the existing soffit. Critical care necessitated glass cabinet fronts for clear visibility of supplies.

Superior corrosion-resistant stainless steel was employed in the sterile environment of the Operating Room . The casework in this area of the suite needed to withstand frequent chemical treatments and bleach washings. HAMILTON’s recommendation for an exclusive stainless steel hinge with no plastic washers further ensured infection control.

“This is what is so special about working with HAMILTON,” says Angelle. “This project required a high level of custom work quickly, and HAMILTON delivered.”