THE BEGINNINGS

The establishment and the beginnings of university hospitals in Krakow are closely associated with reforms implemented by Hugo Kołłątaj. In 1776, Doctor Andrzej Badurski - a graduate of The Bologne Academy, master of arts of the Royal School had applied to the Committee of National Education for a hospital foundation. Two years later, Hugo Kołłątaj, member of the Committee, along with Doctor Badurski made an effort to establish a hospital for Medical Faculty of the Jagiellonian University. On January 7th, 1780 the first Polish clinical hospital, located at jesuitic buildings in the vicinity of St. Barbara Church was founded. It had been given the name of St. Barbara University Hospital, the head of which became Badurski.
Several years later, on April 8th, 1788 cardinal Olechowski united the University Hospital, the Order of Mercy Hospital - part of The Holy Spirit Hospital, St. Sebastian Hospital and St. Roch Hospital thus establishing St. Lazars General Hospital at Wesola Street (presently Kopernika St.) During over 200 years of its existence the Hospital was transformed many times gradually extending its structure and field of diagnostics, therapeutic and academic activities. On January 1st, 1879, during the Galician Autonomy, main building of the hospital board (17 Kopernika St.) and parallel pavilions, where patients with internal diseases were admitted, was opened (Department 1a and 1b).

DEPARTMENT Ia/Ib - 17 KOPERNIKA St.

In 1926 internal disease pavilion 1a was transformed into the 1st Department of Internal Diseases. In this very building, at 17 Kopernika St., in 1959 The Department of Haemodynamics was founded, where congenital heart disorders were diagnosed. These procedures were performed by the following doctors: Prof. J.P. Dubiel, Prof. J. Pasyk, Dr. I. Sękowski, Prof. A. Szczeklik, Prof. J.S. Dubiel, Dr. A. Bilecki. Since 1962 left heart and coronary artery imaging have been also started. Pacemaker implantation and intensive cardiology care (under the guidance of Prof. W. Król) has began in Poland here. Numerous papers under the guidance of prof. Jerzy Paweł Dubiel were issued from the Department. The biggest contribution to its activity belonged from its beginnings to the 2nd Department of Cardiology chaired by Prof. T. Horzela and recently by Prof. J.S. Dubiel. In 1970 the Department was split into the Department of General Cardiology and the Department of Congenital Heart Disorders, which after 1990 took names of 1st and 2nd Department of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiology, Medical College Jagiellonian University (Heads: Prof. Kawecka-Jaszcz, Prof. Dubiel).

THE DEPARTMENT - RECENT YEARS

Since 1997 Philips digital angiography system has been used in the Department. In 2003 another angiography system by Siemens was purchased and in November 2006 new Siemens angiography system substituted the old Philips one. Since 1999 the catheterization laboratory has a 24-hour interventional cardiology duty for the Krakow Region and serves as a consultant to the whole Malopolska Region (3.2 million people).
Its staff has considerably contributed to the new cath lab foundations and staff training in the departments of interventional cardiology in Tarnow, Kielce, Nowy Sacz, Nowy Targ, Oswiecim, Sanok, Krosno, Stalowa Wola and Przemysl. The unique system of myocardial infarction treatment The Malopolska Region Interventional Treatment of Myocardial Infarction Programme (Krakow Experience) based on the network of community hospitals (22 peripheral community hospitals and 7 in the Krakow city) without on-site invasive facility was created in the Department under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Dariusz Dudek. Thanks to the application of combo of lytic therapy and abciximab with immediate transfer to the interventional facility center, this programme has enabled patients from outside of Krakow to undergo complete interventional treatment for myocardial infarction.

Thanks to the scientific accomplishments, the Cath Lab managed by Assoc. Prof. Dariusz Dudek was invited as a first centre in Eastern and Central Europe, to present live transmissions of interventional procedures to Paris during the EuroPCR Courses and to Washington during the largest training course in invasive cardiology - Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT). The cooperation continues.

Year by year the staff organizes and provides training for physicians from the Malopolska Region (Spring Interventional Cardiology Workshop) and Invasive Cardiology Workshop - New Frontiers in Interventional Cardiology, which has become an important place to exchange ideas and meet doctors engaged in interventional cardiology not only from Poland but also from across Europe. Distinguished lecturers from Europe and USA underline the international character of the meeting. PINC "Peripheral Interventions for Cardiologists" - an dditional annual meeting to be recorded in scientific calendar of every invasive cardiologist takes place in June.