Sacred Heart Hospital’s neurosurgical wing is effectively using a convergence of high end technologies for quicker, cleaner and better quality operations. Its Smart OR (Operating Room) consists of Intra-operative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (iMRI) from IMRIS, VectorVision Sky and a Zeiss OPMI Petero C Microscope. All these are controlled intelligently, and interactively, by BrainSUITE to assist neurosurgeons with precise information and imagery to perform high percentage operations in terms of operating time, healthy human parts remaining untouched and patient’s quicker recovery.
The iMRI consists of a six ton Siemens MAGNETOM Espree magnet, which is six feet long, has an opening of a little over two feet in diameter, is capable of imaging the entire body internal organs, and foreign bodies like tumours, all in 3D.
The opening is designed to accommodate obese patients and has an added advantage to counter claustrophobic effects. The iMRI, on demand, scans the affected areas before, during and after the surgery thus assuring that a patient is opened up only once and the operation is conclusive. Eventually real time (live) imagery will be available via Intra-operative Computed Tomography (iCT).
VectorVision Sky is a roof-mounted, space saving, movement tracking, data recording OR aid with infra red cameras and OR lights. The lights positioning and camera foci may be adjusted via touch-screen commands. More importantly, it provides high definition, three-dimensional images of the brain during the operation by collecting, collating and combining relevant X-ray and MRI scans with images captured via Smart OR surgical tools.
The data is then fed into the high magnification Zeiss OPMI Petero C Microscope. The surgeon, too, uses the microscope’s lenses to focus on the exact area via a five step magnification process. These images along with those from VectorVision Sky are viewable on the touch screen monitor of the microscope thereby aiding the neurosurgeon to perform an optimum, safe and accurate surgery.
All the above information is constantly processed by the BrainSUITE software housed in a server outside the OR. Data is transferred from and to the OR via fibre-optics. All images and procedures are captured on four 57 inch high resolution screens within the OR. Specific critical information is made instantly available on request by the neurosurgeon. Vivek Naik is a contributing editor for HealthTechZone. To read more of Vivek's articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Jessica Kostek
