Wheeling Hospital opens high-tech operating rooms
WHEELING — Wheeling Hospital has opened two new operating rooms that allow the facility to remain at the forefront of utilizing modern surgical technology.
The Cardiovascular Advanced Procedure Suite and an operating room housing one of the hospital’s da Vinci Xi surgical robots were unveiled at a press conference Thursday.
Creation of CAPS, a hybrid operating room, ensures the hospital “remains a leader in cardiovascular care,” said Kareen Simon, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “These enhancements are an example of Wheeling Hospital’s commitment to providing the best cardiovascular and OR care.”
The CAPS unit represents a blend of radiology, cardiology and surgery, said Chris Coffield, director of cardiac imaging. The suite, which is larger than other operating rooms to accommodate specialized equipment and more staff, offers advanced interventional imaging technology in a sterile OR-like environment.
The suite also gives surgeons the ability to switch from minimally invasive to open surgical procedures or to blend the two approaches. It provides the ability to offer more advanced structural heart procedures.
With more non-invasive, catheter-based surgery being done over the past five years, a hybrid operating room was needed, said Dr. Triston Smith, chief of cardiology and clinical director of structural heart and complex interventions.
“This procedure suite elevates our game,” Smith said. “As we move forward with this room, it only expands our horizons, … We have to keep dreaming”
“We have to dream for our patients because our patients depend on our dreams,” he added.
The other new operating room, known as OR 12, will be used to perform procedures from multiple specialties, including general surgery, colorectal, thoracic, vascular, orthopedic, gynecologic, neurosurgery, ear, nose and throat, robotic and pulmonary.
“The new OR has a sleek design that will provide optimal operating room efficiency,” said Greta Stewart, surgical services business diretor. “From a surgical perspective, OR 12 is adjacent to our nine main operating rooms, two cardiovascular operating rooms, urology room and now the CAPS room.”
Having OR 12 will be good for patients, said Dr. Gary DeGuzman, director of minimally invasive, pelvic reconstructive and gynecological robotic surgery.
“We’re doing wonderful things for our patients in the robotic program,” DeGuzman said.
Dr. Aarthi Ganesh, a pulmonologist, said OR 12 is well equipped for procedures involving lung infections and cancer diagnosis.
“I’m really happy to start working in the new space,” she said.