Specialist Medical Equipment at the Rowe Creavin Surgery

 

At the Rowe Creavin Medical Practice we ensure all equipment is the most up to date. All our equipment is calibrated and serviced regularly to ensure quality standards. We continuously update and replace equipment taking advantage of the latest technologies on the market.

 

- Top of the range Sterilising Autoclave
- ABI Measurement
- BMI (body mass indexing)
- High Spec. Vaccination Storage Fridge
- Nebulisers

- Defib Machine
  2x VDU machines
- 2x ECG machines (heart tracing)
- Ear syringing units
- 3x 24 hour Blood Pressure Monitors
- Spirometer
- Audiometer
- Cryotherapy Equipment (wart, verruca removal)
- Foetal Doppler x (4)(Ultrasound testing of Baby Heartbeat during Pregnancy)

- Fully equipped anti MSRA coated minor ops suite

- Dexa Scanner ( Osteoporosis Screening equipment)

 

A bone density scan called a DEXA scan is used to measure the density of bones. The letters DEXA stand for: dual energy x-ray absorptiometery. This test is currently the most accurate and reliable means of assessing the strength of one’s bones and risk of fracture. It is a simple painless procedure that uses very low doses of radiation. The patient is asked to lie down on a machine for approx. ten minutes whilst and X-Ray arm passes over the patient to take an image of the spine and hip. The patient is pain free and will feel nothing. A bone density scan can diagnose osteoporosis, assess risk of fracture and monitor the effects of treatment

Women:
If you are a woman and over 60, and have recently broken a bone. It could be because you have Osteoprosis. Your GP can refer you for a Dexa scan. If you do have Osteoprosis effective treatment options are available to prevent more breaks.

Men:
Osteoprosis is widely regarded as a womans disease because if effects 1 in 3 women over 50. However Osteoprosis also effects as many as 1 in 12 men over 50 with up to 20% of spinal fractures and 30% of hip fractures occuring in men. This service is available at the clinic by appointment.

By referral or if indicated as part of your Well man/woman Check a 24 hour Blood Pressure Monitoring device may be fitted to assess the pattern of your blood pressure over a full day to give a more in-depth picture of your condition and the factors influencing your blood pressure throughout the day and night.

 

We provide a spirometry service as part of our wellness Checks. Spirometry is used to measure the air capacity of the lungs. A machine is used to measure the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs. This is very useful in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions like asthma and chronic bronchitis where measuring the lung capacity at regular intervals will indicate the effectiveness of a particular drug therapy. Spirometry is also widely used as part of a pre-employment medical examination to assess the suitability of the individual to work in particular environmental conditions.

 

Audiometry

Audiometry is  available as part of our Occupational health Service or by referral.

This is a simple procedure where the quality of ones hearing is measured using sounds of different frequencies.
 Our audiometry booth is located in a sound proof room where interference from outside sound is minimised.

 

Cryotherapy gun pictured above

Cryotherapy involves removal of skin lesions including warts by freezing with liquid nitrogen.


ECG Machine- Heart Tracing

What is an electrocardiogram?

An electrocardiogram or 'ECG' records the electrical activity of the heart. The heart produces tiny electrical impulses which spread through the heart muscle to make the heart contract. These impulses can be detected by the ECG machine. You may have an ECG to help find the cause of symptoms such as palpitations or chest pain. Sometimes it is done as part of routine tests, for example, before you have an operation.

The ECG test is painless and harmless. (The ECG machine records electrical impulses coming from your body - it does not put any electricity into your body.)

How is it done?

Small metal electrodes are stuck onto your arms, legs and chest. Wires from the electrodes are connected to the ECG machine. The machine detects and amplifies the electrical impulses that occur each heartbeat and records them onto a paper or computer. A few heartbeats are recorded from different sets of electrodes. The test takes about five minutes to do.

What does an ECG show?

The electrodes on the different parts of the body detect electrical impulses coming from different directions within the heart. There are normal patterns for each electrode. Various heart disorders produce abnormal patterns. The heart disorders that can be detected include:

• Abnormal heart rhythms. If the heart rate is very fast, very slow, or irregular. There are various types of irregular heart rhythm with characteristic ECG patterns.
• A heart attack, and if it was recent or some time ago. A heart attack causes damage to heart muscle, and heals with scar tissue. These can be detected by abnormal ECG patterns.
• An enlarged heart. Basically this causes bigger impulses than normal.