Innovative Technology Provides Patient Benefits for Minimally Invasive Procedures

(West Monroe, LA) – June 16, 2020 – Glenwood Regional Medical Center, a member of Steward Health Care, announced today the opening of its newly updated Hybrid Operating Room specially designed to treat patients who are undergoing minimally invasive procedures. The investment in the technology brings the most advanced minimally invasive care to the community and provides Glenwood’s surgical team state-of-the-art amenities to treat patients with more efficient options that can potentially result in shorter hospital stays and enhanced outcomes.

A hybrid OR is the integration of a surgical Operating Room with an advanced X-ray imaging system. This enables surgeons, as well as other interventionalists, to perform the most advanced minimally invasive procedures, which are complex and require a high-quality, flexible imaging solution. The additional hybrid OR capabilities enable new and more efficient treatment options that also result in the significant reduction of patient transport between surgery and radiology.

 “Glenwood Regional Medical Center is pleased to provide this enhanced hybrid operating room to our patients,” said Jeremy Tinnerello, hospital president. “With the addition this highly advanced system, the first hybrid operating room in the region just got better. This is a major step forward in the care we provide and will be of tremendous benefit to the community.” 

Glenwood’s experienced surgical team will perform procedures including:  transcatheter aortic valve replacement, peripheral vascular imaging and intervention, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), ventricular assist devices and other cardiac surgical procedures. 

The upgrade to the region’s first hybrid operating room includes the addition of the Azurion with FlexArm system from Philips Healthcare. Azurion, with its ergonomic design and intuitive user interface, optimizes workflow, enabling clinicians to swiftly and confidently perform both routine and complex procedures. The system is designed to help clinicians work e­fficiently by reducing preparation and procedure time, enabling more patients to be diagnosed and treated.  Azurion provides high quality imaging, achieving excellent visibility at low X-ray dose levels for all patients.

“A high-quality X-ray imaging system can provide critical support during hybrid surgery and endovascular procedures in the same room. Azurion with FlexArm will allow our physicians to complete a variety of surgical and interventional procedures faster, and that means the patient is off the table and on their way to recovery and discharge much sooner,” Tinnerello said.

Glenwood also upgraded its hybrid operating room with the addition of a surgical table system, by Getinge, that enables surgeons to obtain real-time imaging during a cardiac procedure. The c-arm and surgical table move together in order to achieve 3D imaging for angiography procedures. The system also includes LED lighting capabilities that provide enhanced visibility for the surgeon when performing surgery, while ceiling service units, including X-ray, fluoroscopy, monitors, and ultrasound can be moved in and out of the surgical field, increasing efficiency, safety, and workflow.

“The upgrade to this technology in our hybrid operating room is exciting and beneficial for patients,” said Dr. Harry Donias, Chief of Surgery at Glenwood Regional Medical Center. “Patients can be assured that they are receiving the best care possible in a surgical environment that provides the surgeon the most advanced tools to perform highly complex and delicate procedures to treat our patients’ medical needs.”