Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center's New Equipment Improves Spine Surgery Care

July 28, 2011 - PRLog -- DAYTONA BEACH – Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center is the only hospital in Volusia and Flagler counties to offer the O-arm® Surgical Imaging System to patients undergoing neurosurgery.

The O-arm® Surgical Imaging System closes around a patient to make an “o” shape. It takes a 360-degree X-ray image and develops it into either a 2- or 3-D image, similar to a CT scan. This technology provides real-time, high-quality images of a patient's anatomy during surgery, which allows surgeons to view any part of the patient's skeletal anatomy, from head to toe.  

Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center has taken the advanced technology to the next level by integrating Medtronic's StealthStation® surgical navigation systems, enabling neurosurgeons to perform less invasive procedures and confirm the precision of advanced surgical procedures while in the Operating Room. This has the added benefit of reducing a patient’s X-ray exposure, increasing safety for patients.

The O-arm® Surgical Imaging System is a nearly $900,000 investment in Volusia County neurosurgical care and can be used in any spine fusion procedure.  

“This is a significant investment by Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center to improve spinal surgery in this region,” said Christopher S. Kent, MD, Neurosurgeon at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center.  “While spine surgery will never be risk-free, the O-arm allows us to reduce the risk, increase patient safety, and increase the accuracy of surgical screws and other implants.”

Prior to the O-arm, neurosurgeons would obtain these necessary images via fluoroscopy, which only gives two views of the patient: a lateral (side) view and an anterior/posterior (front/back) view. From this, the surgeon would determine the best trajectory of surgical screws for a spine fusion.  

“Even in the best of hands, screws can be placed less than optimally when using fluoroscopy,” said Dr. Kent.  “The O-arm clearly shows us the patient’s anatomy and helps us determine the best trajectory for placing screws during a spine fusion surgery.”

About the Center for Neurohealth Sciences at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center
Opened in July 2007, the Center for Neurohealth Sciences at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center offers patients the latest in minimally invasive surgical treatments. The neurosurgeons at The Center are experts in surgical, non-surgical and rehabilitation treatment for all spine and brain issues and injuries. If surgery is deemed necessary, they are experienced in the latest minimally invasive spine surgery techniques. To learn more, call (386) 231-3540 or visit www.FloridaBrainAndSpine.com.

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Florida Hospital Volusia/Flagler is a nonprofit hospital system with a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ. With five hospitals in Volusia & Flagler County, it is the largest hospital system in the area, caring for 650,000 patients annually.