July 25, 2017
You may have seen promotions about Marshall Medical Centers’ advancements in technology now available at both hospitals. That’s not bragging. That’s informing our friends, neighbors and families that our mission is to reinvest in the community to provide the finest medical care available anywhere. That’s worth repeating.
Having the latest equipment available locally is critically important to patients, of course, but it also makes a big difference to our doctors. See what they have to say about working in a hospital that lets them pick the equipment they believe will allow them to best do their jobs.
"During the 26 years I have been performing laparoscopic surgeries, Marshall Medical Centers has provided the highest quality of support for its surgeons so that I and other surgeons may, in turn, provide the highest quality patient experience available,” said Dr. Thomas Downes, general surgeon at Marshall Surgical Clinic. “This commendable investment in state of the art technology demonstrates their commitment to our united objective of continual improvements for the patient care process."
Dr. Cynthia Monk, a surgeon with Cornerstone General Surgery Clinic in Guntersville, agrees.
“It’s exciting that this hospital continues to upgrade equipment to provide better service to the community.”
So, to recap, some of the most recent upgrades include:
4K Laparoscopy – 4K laparoscopy is video technology representing the latest generation of high definition or HD. It is now being used in all operating rooms at Marshall Medical North and South.
“The picture is much brighter and gives a clear image of even small vessels,” said Tim Bean, director of surgery for Marshall Medical Centers. “The equipment also has a green light feature which helps to identify cancer cells in the bladder and uterus.”
The Olympus 4K Ultra High-Definition 55-inch video system changes the way surgeons operate, offering the same immersive experience in the operating room as people enjoy in their living rooms. Surgeons are not limited by resolution or image quality, only by the limits of the human eye. Precise visualization enables the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
At Marshall Medical Centers, 4K Laparoscopy is being used in general surgery, as well as gynecological, orthopedic, urology and ear, nose and throat procedures.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) enables the Marshall Cancer Care Center to use advanced imaging techniques to deliver a targeted radiation dose to a tumor. The radiation focuses on the tumor with millimeter precision, resulting in less damage to healthy tissue. Protecting tissue is important for cancer patients whose tumors are near or in essential organs.
SBRT creates a 3D image of a tumor and matches the radiation to its exact size and shape. The technology is used primarily on tumors in the lung, spine, brain and liver.
Called the single greatest break-through in breast cancer detection in the last 30 years, 3D Mammography takes multiple images or X-rays of breast tissue to recreate a 3D picture of the breast. It’s different from traditional mammography which obtains just a single image. Due to overlapping layers of tissue inside breasts, those 2D images could produce unclear results causing false alarms or allowing cancer to be missed altogether.
3D mammography, which is able to detect 41% more invasive cancers, is now the exclusive method for breast cancer screening used at Marshall Medical Centers.
Another important capability available with the addition of 3D mammography is stereotactic breast biopsy, which is a procedure that uses mammography to precisely identify and biopsy an abnormality within the breast. It is normally done when the radiologist sees a suspicious abnormality on a mammogram that can’t be felt in a physical exam.
Stereotactic core biopsy was developed as an alternative to surgical biopsy. It is a less invasive way to obtain the tissue samples needed for diagnosis. This procedure requires less recovery time than does a surgical biopsy, and there is no significant scarring to the breast.
This equipment represents investments of millions of dollars. As a community-hospital, it is our mission to re-invest so that we have the best product to deliver to those we serve.
“Marshall Medical has always tried to stay out front with ‘best-in-class’ equipment,” said Marshall North Administrator Cheryl Hays. “Having so many new high tech tools only further increases accuracy in making diagnoses, doing surgical procedures and providing good patient care.”