“The catheterization lab's capacity is unparalleled and will enable us to make use of state-of-the-art equipment to care for our patients.” 

Kim Boswell, Clinical Leader Manager Cardiac Catheterization Labs and Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, SMH

With the Walter and Maria Schroeder Brain & Heart Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital is creating a hub to bring together the world’s best brain and heart specialists, a group of multi-disciplinary experts in engineering and the clinical neurosciences, to develop new therapies for brain-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig disease (ALS) and Parkinson’s. The new centre will enable patients to be diagnosed, tested and treated in a seamless approach in a single location.

The new catheterization lab, where diagnostic imaging procedures take place to diagnose and treat cardiac issues, is now the largest of its kind inside St. Michael’s, expanding by almost a third of its previous size. The new robotic C-arm will set new benchmarks for precision during various diagnostic imaging procedures.

HH Angus was engaged to provide mechanical and engineering services; lighting design; IT, security, audio visual and communications consulting; and commissioning. Our project scope covered the renovation of an existing Cath Lab, along with associated equipment and control rooms, in order to accommodate a larger footprint and new state-of-the-art medical and imaging equipment.

The project design was future proofed with the expanded Cath lab providing increased capacity for cardiac procedures, thanks to a requirement to design the procedure area to be flexible enough for use as an Operating Room in future. It also includes state-of-the-art audio visual capabilities, with live data streams displayed on electronic screens throughout the room. Future capabilities include extensive video and audio feeds from within the room, as well as the ability to videoconference and live-stream procedures to locations both within and outside St. Michael’s. This will facilitate education, research and external consults.

Upgrades included: medical gas system and alarm replacement, including the installation of an articulated service boom; eventual conversion from passive to active scavenging system; ventilation system; and two new neuro interventional bi-plane suites, enabling image-guided and minimally-invasive procedures.

Challenges met by our project team include:

1. Designing the space to meet a Hybrid OR environment, including supplying 20 air changes per hour above the patient care area with limited ceiling space
2. Creating flexible ventilation design to allow future connection to a new air handling system, without causing major shutdowns to or rework of the existing space
3. As a partial solution to #1, installing a combined lighting and air supply product (EH Price Ultrasuite), which had not yet been implemented anywhere in Canada, and ensuring all local code requirements were met.
4. Coordinating the complex video requirements of multiple specialized medical systems in order to route diagnostic-quality video and audio feeds appropriately.

Read about other projects at St. Michael’s Hospital

Barlo MS Centre
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute

Photo courtesy of Unity Health