PAH S4 E4 – Show notes

“One of the biggest risks of delirium in hip fracture patients is pain management—and we usually treat that pain with narcotics and sedatives. And of course, too much narcotics and too much sedatives also leads to delirium. So it's a real fine line between our treatment and the disease itself.”

Imagine visiting an elderly family member or friend who has just undergone hip surgery, but instead of the tired but smiling face you expect to see, you’re greeted by a stranger. This person looks like someone you know well, but their behaviour is completely different: they seem agitated, irritable and belligerent, or perhaps lethargic and confused.

This is post-operative delirium. And while this condition may have a number of causes, one of the most common is from the use of narcotic pain killers—a necessary measure to counteract the often-excruciating pain associated with hip fractures.  

But thanks to a generous donation by one couple, patients with hip fractures at Peace Arch Hospital now have a lower risk of complications, including delirium, from the use of narcotic pain management. It’s all thanks to a leading-edge portable ultrasound, no bigger than a laptop computer, that guides pinpoint delivery of targeted nerve-blocking anesthesia while avoiding nearby structures.

In this episode of Power to Heal you’ll meet a passionate advocate for this revolutionary, portable technology that allows physicians to implement nerve blocks wherever necessary in the hospital—and in the process, is transforming a small, community-based medical centre into a leader of intraoperative and postoperative pain management.

Guests:

Dr. Marshall Cheng, Department Head of Anesthesiology, Peace Arch Hospital

Sean Kenny, Philanthropy Officer, Leadership Giving, PAH

Power to Heal is hosted by Lance Peverley, a former newspaper reporter, editor of the Peace Arch News for 12 years, and a longtime resident of the White Rock/South Surrey area. 

Presented by Peace Arch Hospital Foundation in White Rock, British Columbia, Power to Heal takes you behind the scenes of an innovative hospital Foundation and introduces you to the team who find new and sometimes surprising ways to engage with the local community and help fund the best healthcare possible in the region. 

Since 1988, the Foundation has raised over $250 million for capital projects, medical equipment, and community health programs. Its passionate and caring team’s number one priority is the prudent stewardship of your gifts and the resulting positive impact on patients and medical staff at Peace Arch Hospital and the entire White Rock-South Surrey community.

Download Power to Heal wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

Discover the many ways you can make the greatest impact on your hospital and your community of White Rock/South Surrey. Visit www.pahfoundation.ca/ways-to-give/ to learn more.