October 17, 2008 – Reportedly one of only a few of its kind, a surgical suite designed to treat a variety of brain and spinal cord injuries under one roof is now in operation at The Ohio State University Medical Center.
Equipped with advanced imaging technology and sophisticated medical machinery, the minimally invasive endovascular and vascular suite provides the most efficient and safest environment for a patient’s surgical care, according to Louis Caragine Jr., M.D., director of endovascular neurosurgery at Ohio State’s Medical Center.
Radiologists routinely perform endovascular treatments in an angiography suite within a hospital’s radiology department. However, neuroendovascular procedures require examination and therapy by both radiology and neurosurgery staff. If an unforeseen technical complication arises, a patient needs to be immediately transported from the angiography suite to the operating suite for surgical intervention.
“Having the proper, sterile environment allows us to be better prepared if something unexpected occurs. A miniscule delay may result in a poor patient outcome and this new OR will assist us in expediting life-saving treatments,” said Dr. Caragine, who is also director of Ohio State’s Neurological Surgery Intensive Care Unit.
The operating suite is designed with biplane digital subtraction angiography, allowing for less radiation scatter than C-arm fluoroscopy. It offers integrated neurosurgical and radiological capabilities resulting in less movement of the patient, as well as a computer control room that monitors the “action.” In addition, the room is capable of three-dimensional angiography, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging guidance.
For more information: www.osumc.edu