Rent reduced for riders, early budget items approved by Regina Council
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Regina's city council covered a lot of ground in a three-hour meeting on Wednesday. With all members in attendance, coun...
On Friday, St. Paul’s Hospital completed the addition of a new state-of-the-art lithotripter, the only one in the province.
The lithotripter will be used to treat bladder, kidney, and ureteric stones, and was made possible through a $1.4 million donation from Irene and her late husband Leslie Dubé.
The Dubés have also invested in Saskatchewan’s first lithotripter in 1997, establishing the only lithotripsy program in the province.
Garson Chan, a urologist at St. Paul’s Hospital said the new machine will be replacing an old one that has been out of service for several months, noting it has a slimmer and faster design that will allow for better workflow.
“A lot of patients travel from across the province to come here,” he said, adding previously patients have been referred out of province for treatment.
“With its advanced capabilities we can offer patients faster, more efficient and less invasive treatments,” he said.
Around 30 to 40 patients are expected to have the non-invasive procedure a month. Chan said the lithotripter should also free up surgical time in the operating room.
Explaining how it works, Chan said once doctors find and position the stones with X-rays, then a small gel is used on the skin, and through the gel contact shock waves are delivered through the skin and into the specific area breaking up the stone.
On Friday the completion of the Leslie and Irene Dubé Lithotripsy Suite was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the unveiling of a mural dedicated to the family.