Episode 240: Revolutionising Interventional Cardiology and Mental Health Through the Lens of Aviation

In this episode of the EMJ Podcast, host Jonathan Sackier welcomes William Lombardi, one of the leading innovators in chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). They explore his groundbreaking work in CTO technology, the development of the hybrid algorithm, and lessons interventional cardiologists can learn from aviation safety. 

Lombardi also shares insights into reducing practitioner risk, the mental resilience required in high-stakes medicine, and what drives his passion for innovation. 

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in advancing cardiology, operator safety, and medical innovation. 

Timestamps: 

(00:00) - Introduction (01:50) - The story behind ‘Lioness’ and family time on the water (06:15) - Learning from aviation: improving safety in PCI (11:14) - Changing the mindset in interventional cardiology (20:10) - The hybrid algorithm and its impact on CTO PCI (27:35) - From idea to market: innovating over 20 CTO technologies (35:14) - Reducing risk for interventional cardiologists (38:37) - The importance of mental health in performance (44:00) - Three wishes for the future of healthcare