Latest news with #LHSC
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
LHSC set to roll out new navigation app and cancer support program for young patients
In an ongoing effort to enhance the hospital experience for both patients and staff, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is introducing a cutting-edge wayfinding solution designed to make navigating its sprawling facilities easier than ever. Finding your way through LHSC can be a challenge. That's why the hospital is rolling out MazeMap, a global navigation app that offers an interactive digital map to help users reach their destinations more efficiently. 'We have almost four-million in square feet across all our sites, so navigating hospitals is not always easy,' said Nick Vlacholias, vice president of Facilities and Support Services at LHSC. The app, which is expected to launch in the coming weeks, functions similarly to common navigation tools, but is optimized for indoor hospital settings. 'We leverage parts of our network infrastructure within the hospital to do that blue dot location,' explained Andrew Mes, LHSC's Chief Information Officer. 'That's how, as patients navigate through the system, they'll know where they are on the map.' LHSC A map of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). (Source: LHSC) Alongside its digital innovation, LHSC also unveiled a new Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Program aimed at providing specialized cancer care for patients aged 15 to 39. 'Our hope is that this will allow access to specialized supportive care services, tailored to their psychosocial needs, sexual health, and fertility needs,' said Dr. Andrew Arifin, radiation oncologist at LHSC. The program seeks to bridge a care gap by offering tailored services that address the unique challenges faced by young people undergoing cancer treatment. When asked about his ongoing role at LHSC during Wednesday's media briefing, David Musyj indicated that there would be no immediate changes. 'The answer is pretty much status quo,' he said. The update marked the final public briefing before LHSC takes a break for the summer. Regular monthly updates are scheduled to resume in September.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Stratford, Ont. girl hears for the first time after innovative surgery
A baby, who doctors said would never be able to hear a sound, has regained hearing after a procedure performed at LHSC, reports CTV's Sean Irvine. A young girl from Stratford, Ont. can hear for the first time thanks to a new procedure performed in London. Shortly after her birth, Danny and Jacquelyn Lee were told their daughter Savannah would never hear a sound. Enter London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) Surgeon Dr. Demir Bajin and a technique he performed while working overseas. He offered the Lee family a chance for Savannah to hear using a new auditory implant. But, it would require brain surgery. 'We need to expose the brain stem to put the implant in,' said Bajin. The procedure came with risks. 'But the risks were pretty low, we were told,' Danny recalled. 'Because they had been so well versed in this whole procedure, that it helped us decide really easily to move forward with it.' 061725 An auditory implant. The four-hour surgery took place last year, and it didn't take long for Savannah to advance. Once the new pediatric auditory brainstem implant (ABI) was turned on, she turned her head when she heard her first clap. 'It is very rewarding to see such a clear sign of hearing on the day we activated the device,' recalled audiologist Laura Hopkins. 'And we had some nice clear signs of hearing, looking up and turning towards sounds, which is fantastic on day one.' It was the response her parents had been waiting for, and a stark turn in the prognosis doctors had told them to expect just two years before. 'We were actually told to continue with signing because that would be our only option,' said Danny. 061725 Audiologist Laura Hopkins (L) and Dr. Demir Bajin. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London) Since surgery, Savannah has begun to talk. Dr. Bajin suggests her communication advancements demonstrate why more children are slated to undergo the procedure in the coming months. 'So, this is essentially the only choice that these kids have to develop language skills and hear any sound. So, if you do it on time, which we did for this child, they will develop normal language skills.' 'When you actually hear the words, you feel kind of better and the pressure's off,' expressed Jacquelyn. 'You feel like, like a way it's been kind of like a weight has been lifted off a bit.' 'It's just fantastic,' added Danny. 'I feel a lot of doors have been opened to see a lot more children with the same issues in the future, and you know, have an element here with this device to be able to hear.'
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
New procedure in London gave hearing to a toddler
London Watch A baby, who doctors said would never be able to hear a sound, has regained hearing after a procedure performed at LHSC, reports CTV's Sean Irvine.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Toddler hears sound for the first time after a procedure in London
A baby, who doctors said would never be able to hear a sound, has regained hearing after a procedure performed at LHSC, reports CTV's Sean Irvine. A baby, who doctors said would never be able to hear a sound, has regained hearing after a procedure performed at LHSC, reports CTV's Sean Irvine. A young girl from Stratford can hear thanks to a new procedure performed in London. Shortly after her birth, Danny and Jacquelyn were told their daughter Savannah would never hear a sound. Enter LHSC Surgeon Dr. Demir Bajin and a technique he performed while working overseas. He offered the Lee family a chance for Savannah to hear using a new auditory implant. 061725 An auditory implant. But, it would require brain surgery. 'We need to expose the brain stem to put the implant in,' said Dr. Bajin. The procedure came with risks. 'But the risks were pretty low, we were told,' Danny recalled. 'Because they had been so well versed in this whole procedure, that it helped us decide really easily to move forward with it.' The four-hour surgery took place last year, and it didn't take long for Savannah to advance. Once the new paediatric ABI was turned on, she turned her head when she heard her first clap. 'It is very rewarding to see such a clear sign of hearing on the day we activated the device,' recalled audiologist Laura Hopkins. 'And we had some nice clear signs of hearing, looking up and turning towards sounds, which is fantastic on day one.' 061725 Audiologist Laura Hopkins (right) and Dr. Demir Bajin (left). (Sean Irvine/CTV News London) It was the response her parents had been waiting for, and a stark turn in the prognosis doctors had told them to expect just two years before. 'We were actually told to continue with signing because that would be our only option,' said Danny. Since surgery, Savannah has begun to talk. Dr. Bajin suggests her communication advancements demonstrate why more children are slated to undergo the procedure in the coming months. 'So, this is essentially the only choice that these kids have to develop language skills and hear any sound. So, if you do it on time, which we did for this child, they will develop normal language skills.' 'When you actually hear the words, you feel kind of better and the pressure's off,' expressed Jacquelyn. 'You feel like, like a way it's been kind of like a weight has been lifted off a bit.' 'It's just fantastic,' added Danny. 'I feel a lot of doors have been opened to see a lot more children with the same issues in the future, and you know, have an element here with this device to be able to hear.'
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
‘A very simple idea' might make a big difference for stroke patients
A research team at LHSC and Western University has found a new way to identify blood clots which cause strokes. Dr. Luciano Sposato admits that a simple change in procedure may have a significant impact on stroke patients. His research team at London Health Sciences Centre and Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry has found a new way to identify blood clots responsible for strokes. When a stroke patient arrives at the hospital, time is of the utmost critical. Sposato states a CT scan of the brain is often underway within 10 minutes to determine underlying causes. Frequently a cause is never found, making it difficult to predict future strokes. In 2023, researchers began to wonder if expanding scans further down the body might make a difference. 'We always suspected that clots came from the heart. So, we said, why don't we just go a little bit lower with the acquisition of the images and see if the clots were there?' said Sposato. It turned out they often were. An eight-month study found that clots were hiding in the hearts of a large number of patients. 'We know exactly like that we can increase the detection of parts of the heart by 500%, and we would only need to scan 14 patients to find one clot. So, it is a very high-yield type of detection study,' said Sposato. While the implantation phase of the study will soon begin, policies will take time to change. Sposato told CTV News the research has attracted interest from the US, Europe and Asia. He is hopeful that, in time, it will make a significant difference towards preventing future medical events. 'By preventing future strokes, people will not be as disabled as they might have been, and we can also prevent dementia by reducing brain damage, that 10 years later could cause dementia in these patients as well,' Sposato said.
