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New Video Towers Bring High Definition to Operating Rooms

Imagine seeing an internal organ in high definition – odds are it would be pretty close to the image in reality.

That’s just what surgeons at London Health Sciences Centre now have the ability to do thanks to twelve new HD-equipped video towers in LHSC operating rooms.

Dr. Christopher Schlachta, medical director of CSTAR shows off the new HD-equipped video towers in LHSC’s operating rooms.

“These new video towers produce crisp, well-delineated images that will contribute to faster, safer and less invasive surgeries,” says Dr. Christopher Schlachta, medical director of Canadian Surgical Technologies & Advanced Robotics (CSTAR). “This will, in turn, contribute to better recovery for patients resulting in more available beds and lower costs for the hospital.”

The video towers were purchased in part by the proceeds from last year’s Country Classic Auction, a London Health Sciences Foundation annual fundraiser. Last year, the auction raised over $300 000 for the minimally invasive surgery (MIS) program to upgrade and modernize equipment in LHSC operating rooms as the old monitors rendered images that were only slightly better than the common tube-television set; current industry standard is to use high definition monitors when performing minimally invasive surgery.

The proceeds from the auction, combined with LHSC’s original commitment to purchase this equipment, made the goal of replacing every video tower at once a possibility, rather than doing a patchwork upgrade. A single large purchase made the training component easier – physicians and nurses only need to learn one city-wide standard system.

In the end Stryker was chosen to outfit both University and Victoria hospitals’ operating rooms with video towers that are now in use at both sites.

In addition, Stryker has agreed to refurbish one OR at each hospital site and equip it with the latest technologies. As a beta-site for Stryker, London Health Sciences Centre will have two of the most advanced operating rooms in North America, where LHSC surgeons can assist in the testing and development of new technologies.

“Stryker Canada is very excited about the expansion of our long-standing partnership with LHSC,” says Scott Felker, manager of Stryker communications.

“The establishment of LHSC as one of the focus centers for Stryker Canada will facilitate collaboration on many levels. LHSC will be a ‘first look’ centre for newly released or soon-to-be released products and technology for Stryker Canada, providing important Canadian-specific feedback regarding the efficacy and feasibility of these products for the Canadian health care environment.”

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