ince 2009, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has been preparing for the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) operation. Until now, the new surgery has been successfully performed for five patients who suffered from symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and were not suitable for open surgery. The improved surgical procedure brings new hope to old-aged patients, and those with high surgical risks and other co-existing diseases. 30,000 TAVI cases were performed worldwide with a success rate of over 90% and the complication rate is less than 10%. As the first hospital in Hong Kong using this surgical technology, QEH aims to become an internationally certified TAVI centre.

he opening ceremony of Yuen Long blood donor centre in August was officiated by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow. Encouraging the local community to give blood, Dr Chow took the lead to donate blood at the centre. The centre collects an average of 70 units of blood a day.

he demolition of four old buildings in Yan Chai Hospital is in the pipeline to make way for a new building to be completed in the summer of 2016. To cope with hospital expansion, the new building which occupies 25,114 sq.m. over 11 storeys, will house ambulatory and community health services. After re-construction, the out-patient consultation rooms will also increase from 36 to 54, giving the hospital 50% more service capacity.

he Kowloon Central Cluster launched a recipe book for cancer patients in August. Entitled The Taste of Happiness, the book is a collective effort by medical staff, dietitians, cancer patients and their families. Another recent title published by the cluster is Defuse Bombs in the Hospital (new edition) which features 40 case studies on miscommunication and conflicts between medical staff and patients. The first edition of the book was published in 2009.