The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Life!

December 4, 2005

HDTV meets the OR at Beckley-ARH surgical suites

Bev Davis

It’s a perfect marriage of technology and medical intervention — high definition digital images that give surgeons a clear view inside their patients.

In November, all four operating rooms at Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital began using the new high definition digital technology which provides several important advantages.

“The new equipment takes up much less space and gives us more room to move around in the OR,” said Ellie Petit, OR supervisor. “It allows the surgeons to see much more clearly, and it cuts down on the operating time, which is good for both the patient and the surgeon.”

Three-dimensional images allow visualization of the surgical area in a way that was not previously possible, Petit said.

“The color and contrast are so much better. The surgeon can view the area as clearly as if he were actually looking directly at the organs.”

That capability is especially valuable in endoscopic surgery, where surgeons do not open a body cavity but rather work through small tubes called trochars. They view the surgical area by way of computer images produced by tiny cameras inserted through the trochars.

“This technology gives us the ability to share instantly the live images across the hospital or around the world for consultations,” Petit said.

The technology also provides the ability to print high definition images or record to DVD, and supplies improved safety for surgical staff.

“We don’t have all those cords all over the floor,” Petit said. “Everything is mounted up out of the way.”

With the equipment installed in all four ORs, patients can be moved through the surgical procedures more efficiently, she said.

“We don’t have to delay surgeries while we are waiting on equipment. The whole schedule can now function more smoothly.”

— E-mail:

bdavis@register-herald.com

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