Middlesex Health has opened a new, state-of-the-art operating suite that features new robotic tools that help orthopedic surgeons operate with greater precision.
“We are delighted to have a space within Middlesex Hospital dedicated to orthopedic surgeries,” Dr. Thomas Larson, chief of orthopedics, said. “The equipment and technology needed to help patients will be readily accessible in a room specifically designed to accommodate orthopedic surgeries. This will ensure that surgeries run smoothly and efficiently.”
The two 600-square-foot operating rooms were designed with help from the surgeons at Middlesex Hospital and are closed off from the rest of the hospital, to minimize the risk of infection and complications to the surgery.
“It was a collaborative design,” orthopedic surgeon Joseph Sohn said.
Surgeons at Middlesex Health perform about 400 knee replacements and about 200 spine surgeries a year. Two cutting edge medical technologies — the NAVIO Surgical System, a tool that assists surgeons with knee replacements, and the ExcelsisusGPS, a tool used during spine surgeries — have been employed by the hospital for the past year.
Dr. Terry Reardon, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in knee replacements, said the NAVIO system makes surgeries “infinitely more precise.” The technology makes a 3D map of a patient’s knee and allows the surgeons to place a partial or full knee replacement with greater accuracy.
“Before the NAVIO we did it by eye and experience,” Reardon said. “This is much easier. The computer knows exactly where the knee is at all times.”
The ExcelsiusGPS robotic system is used during minimally invasive spinal surgeries, like spine fusions, and helps surgeons place medical screws more precisely.
Sohn, who specializes in spine surgeries, said the technology helps him make adjustments during surgery with its live navigation system.
“We can see exactly where the screws are going and if we need to make adjustments,” Sohn said. “The navigation is another layer of safety for the patient.”
Sohn said he’s found that patients have a quicker recovery time thanks to the new systems the surgeons are using. The technology helps surgeons make smaller incisions which cause less trauma to the body, he said.
“It’s a safe operation, but overall I think patients tend to recover faster,” he said.
Kathleen McWilliams can be reached at kmcwilliams@courant.com
