Vascular Interventional Fellowship in Taiwan
The National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) regularly offers training opportunities for our medical professionals so they can sharpen their saw and improve care for patients. Dr. Peter Chang shares his experiences during a Vascular Interventional Fellowship at National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH).
Established in 1895, NTUH is a medical centre in Taiwan and has nurtured numerous clinicians who have gone on to serve internationally.
In Spring 2016, I spent more than three months advancing my knowledge in endovascular therapy for peripheral vascular disease (PVD)1. I attended to patients with various vascular diseases at the NTUH Cardiovascular Centre catheterisation suites and performed minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures on their upper and lower limbs.
Under the mentorship of Prof. Hsien-Li Kao and Dr. Jen-Kuang Lee, I developed minimally invasive skills to reconstruct lower-extremity arteries and treat critical limb ischemia 2. Together, we helped patients with non-healing wounds avoid the dire outcome of amputation and preserve their limbs to improve their quality of life.
In my opinion, I believe that providing the best PVD treatment requires a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach. Thus, I hope to bring my new knowledge to the NUHCS vascular team to enhance care for patients.
1 A blood circulation disorder that causes the blood vessels outside the heart and brain to narrow, block or spasm.
2 A severe obstruction of the arteries that reduces blood flow to the hands, feet and legs.
