Northshore Conifer posted on November 20, 2009 07:26
Better images lead to more accurate diagnosis, less invasive procedures and quicker recovery times for patients.
On Wednesday, November 18, 2009, St. Tammany Parish Hospital (STPH) held an open house highlighting the new biplane fluoroscopy unit which enables highly specialized electrophysiologists, interventional and neuroradiologists to perform delicate, complicated procedures diagnosing and treating a variety of conditions. Biplane unit procedures are minimally invasive for patients leading to quicker procedure and recovery times.
Biplane fluoroscopy imaging provides multi-dimensional, detailed views of blood vessels, translating into shorter diagnosis and treatment times, reduced radiation and less exposure to iodine-based contrast dye. The unit is ideal for delicate back pain procedures such as vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty and nerve root ablation as well as heart rhythm correction for arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. The biplane unit can also be used to remove uterine fibroids, cancerous lesions, tumors and aneurisms. Depending upon the case, some procedures may take as little as 30 minutes.
The new biplane unit uses two angles to create three-dimensional views of small blood vessels and soft tissue without moving the patient during angiography and neuroradiology procedures.
Some of the treatments using the biplane unit are:
Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE): a non-invasive procedure that shrinks uterine fibroids by blocking it blood flow instead of surgically removing them.
Plasma-mediated radiofrequency ablation: a precise, minimally invasive surgical procedure using a plasma-based radiofrequency device to destroy spinal tumors which may grow and fracture vertebrae causing considerable pain.
Plasma coblation: a minimally invasive procedure to disintegrate spinal tumors and fill the remaining void with special cement to strengthen and stabilize the spine.
Electrophysiology: minimally invasive procedure to eliminate symptoms experienced with heart arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation which may eliminate the need for long-term blood thinners.
Drs. Daniel Harlin, Ravi Kanagala, James Lacour and Richard Vanderbrook, all of whom have offices in Covington, use the biplane unit to treat patients suffering from back pain, neck pain, cardiac arrhythmia and a wide variety of other conditions.