Baptist Health Launches High-Tech Hybrid Vascular Operating Room at Baptist Heart Hospital
Special OR Combines Imaging Capabilities, Vascular Interventional Procedures and Surgery in One Room

Jacksonville, Florida, August 31, 2010 -- Time is of the essence when a patient is experiencing a serious vascular condition such as abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease, or deep vein thrombosis.

Traditionally, patients experiencing a blockage in their veins or arteries would have imaging tests in one part of a hospital and other tests and treatment in a catheterization lab; if surgery was required, the patient would be transferred to an operating room.

With Baptist Health's new Hybrid Vascular Operating Room at Baptist Heart Hospital, technologies and capabilities are combined so the room is part cardiovascular imaging suite, part peripheral cath lab and part OR. Transfer of patients for multiple diagnostics and treatments is no longer necessary with the Hybrid Vascular OR, enhancing patient safety and outcomes, and making treatment more cost-effective and efficient.

Erin Moore, MD, medical director of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Baptist Medical Center Downtown says, "From the point the patient comes to me, I can diagnose the vascular condition, intervene on the problem, and perform a minimally invasive procedure, either by itself or in combination with a surgical procedure. The Hybrid Vascular OR improves efficiency in the operating room, thereby cutting operative times and shortening the time patients must remain under anesthesia. With this new advance, we can provide the whole spectrum of care for the entire vascular episode."

Dr. Moore says the suite will initially be used to provide interventional procedures to open blockages and improve blood flow in the lower (abdominal) and upper (chest) extremities. However, it will likely be used for the diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions -- including balloon angioplasty, stenting and open-heart surgery -- in the future.

Baptist Health's Hybrid OR is equipped with GE and Stryker technologies. Features are:

• A fixed GE 4100 Innova interventional X-ray system, which offers high-resolution digital imaging so the doctor can visualize diseased vein or artery, along with a guidewire or stent, during procedures; compared to a mobile imaging machine, this system provides outstanding image clarity. "he key to vascular surgery is imaging, imaging, imaging," says Dr. Moore. "This system is like taking a camera with 9-10 inches of viewing angle to 16 inches, so we can see a larger piece of anatomy in high definition and make better decisions for the patient, as well as have more options to treat a given problem."
• Two 24" Stryker digital high-definition flat monitors and six GE 16" monitors integrated into Baptist Health's Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), allowing the surgeon to bring CT scans and other images taken elsewhere into the OR to compare with real-time imaging such as angiography (allowing the surgeon to visualize the vein or arteries being treated) and intravascular ultrasound (allowing the surgeon to see inside the diseased vein or artery)
• The GE surgical table allows for up-and-down movement like a traditional table, but also can be adjusted from side to side and front to back, allowing for ideal patient positioning for an open procedure.
• Voice-activated bedside controls for the surgeon
• LED surgical lights that stay cool without sacrificing brightness and eliminate potentially harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays. A reflector keeps the surgical field shadow-free. The technology is greener because LED light bulbs rarely need to be replaced and disposed, decreasing environmental waste.
• A high-definition camera installed in one of the LED surgical lights to allow for remote physician teaching, along with connectivity to other networked locations, such as conference rooms, auditoriums, pathology, radiology, surgeons' offices, and other off-site locations
• The Stryker Communication Integration system, which uses fiber optic cabling, allows physicians in the Hybrid OR to connect and consult with physicians in other surgical suites, and vice versa

"The Hybrid Vascular OR is cutting edge in vascular care and enhances our surgical capability for the benefit of our patients," says Ed Hubel, director, Surgical Services, Baptist Health. "The surgical staff and I are proud that Baptist Health is dedicated to providing the best technology for our patients."

"With the addition of the Hybrid Vascular OR, Baptist Health reaffirms our commitment to providing the highest level of heart and vascular care to our community," says Joe Mitrick, administrator, Baptist Medical Center Downtown and Baptist Heart Hospital. "The new OR provides a new level of medical care that allows us to improve procedural efficiency which can boost patient outcomes."