Northwest Oklahoma Neuroscience and Spine Institute
St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center’s neuroscience and spine program continues to grow in technological advances to meet the needs of patients. The Image Guided Surgery was added to the list of services provided to our patients.
The neuroscience team treats a wide range of neurological problems, from chronic back pain to rare tumors of the brain.
Image Guided Surgery
The StealthStation® system offers revolutionary, 3D imaging technology to guide neuorsurgeons through complicated operative procedures, including neurological, spinal, orthopedic and ear/nose/throat surgeries. As a result, patients may have significantly shortened surgery times, reduced surgical invasiveness and faster recoveries.
The StealthStation system allows neurosurgeons to literally see inside our patients’ bodies-the lobe of a brain and its relation to a tumor that needs to be removed, or the structure of a vertebrae and where to best place a pedicle screw to maximize the patient’s mobility — both before and during surgery. The 3D images are so precise that surgeons can plan the surgery beforehand, determine the exact path to the targeted area, and know what critical structures must be avoided. Then, during surgery, the StealthStation system provides a constant flow of information so that any necessary adjustments can be made.
Putting Patients First
Because of the precision that image-guided surgery technology provides, surgeons are able to create an exact, detailed plan for the surgery—where the best spot is to make the incision and the ideal path to the targeted site. Using this information, they are able to focus on the exact location they need during surgery, without compromising nearby muscle, tissue, nerves or blood vessels. As a result, patients often spend less time in the operating room, have smaller incisions and less trauma to the surrounding tissues. This leads to shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries.
Image-guided surgery also provides new alternatives for patients with multiple medical problems, patients who may not be able to tolerate large, invasive surgeries and patients whose conditions in the past would have been considered inoperable.
The StealthStation system also will make many of the routine surgical procedures, such as inserting implants, much safer, quicker and easier.
Using This Exceptional Technology
The SealthStation system allows surgeons to view the human body—a three-dimensional structure itself—in real-time 3D. Until now, extensive surgical experience was the only way in which a surgeon could comfortably visualize a three-dimensional space based on traditional two-dimensional diagnostic scans.
The surgical procedure begins before a surgeon picks up a scalpel. Prior to the operation, the patient undergoes diagnostic testing such as CT (computed tomography) scan or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). These images are converted into 3D images showing the patient’s organs, muscles, tissues and nerves. The surgeon then plans the operation on the computer using this information.
When surgery begins, the 3D images are synchronized with real-time information provided by light emitting diode (LED) cameras within the operatng room. By matching the pre-surgery information to the patient’s real anatomy, surgeons can manipulate the view to see precisely what they need to see. It also allows them to track instruments during the surgery, including the position of the instrument and the angle at which it is entering the body—side to side, up and down and back and forth—with tremendous precision.
Cervical Arthroplasty
Treatments for cervical disc degeneration, often are limited to decompression, correction of deformity or stabilization of the spine. With the exception of decompression, these procedures usually require fusion, which immobilizes spinal segments that have been treated.
Neurosurgeons now offer another option for relieving spinal pain. Cervical arthroplasty is a breakthrough procedure which involves disc replacement, restoring range of motion and offering significant treatment for spinal pain.
Stroke
Stroke Is an Emergency When a person is suffering a stroke, getting fast medical attention is critical. During an ischemic stroke, a blood clot blocks a blood vessel or artery in the brain. During a hemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds into the brain. Strokes can affect a person’s thinking and speaking and cause paralysis and other disability. The longer a stroke sufferer goes without treatment, the greater the damage.
How can you tell if someone is having a stroke? The warning signs—all of which start suddenly—include:
numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg—especially on one side of the body
difficulty with speaking or understanding speech
trouble seeing in one or both eyes
trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
severe headache with no known cause.
Patients receive advanced, coordinated care as quickly as possible, thanks to St. Mary’s approach. Immediate neurosurgical backup is required by national standards and is available at St. Mary’s.
St. Mary's follows strict protocols. Everyone involved in the treatment of the patient must know his/her role. They work together to provide the best care possible to patients.
Critical First Three Hours Ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, can be treated with the clot-busting drug known as tPA. The drug must be given to patients within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.
At St. Mary’s, the drug is given, on average, within an hour and forty minutes from the onset of symptoms — compared with almost 2.5 hours nationally.
Much of the quick turnaround is due to the rapid speed of the CAT Scan machine at St. Mary’s. Before patients receive tPA, they must undergo a CT scan to make sure there is no bleeding in the brain. At St. Mary’s, this is done in seconds.
Spreading the Word All too often, people suffering stroke symptoms put off going to the hospital. Some think that with a little rest, they’ll feel better. However, it's extremely important to seek timely medical attention.
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