When a person gets the news that they need spinal surgery, a visceral response is immediate and quite natural.

The spine is the body’s information super-highway and when doctors must go in to repair a disk, or relieve pressure, it’s a delicate procedure performed on a microscopic scale.  But the human eye, with it’s truly remarkable capabilities, still has its limitations. To alleviate any limitations, no matter how small, VA North Texas became the first VA medical center in the nation to incorporate the use of 4K-3D Video Microscope capabilities in their Neurosurgical suite. The ORBEYE 4K-3D Video Microscope gives the surgical team 26X magnification and ergonomic heads-up surgery with unparalleled vision to aid in their delicate, life-changing surgical procedures.

IMAGE: ORBEYE 4K 3D Video MicroscopeVA North Texas has two ORBEYE systems online for use in neurosurgery, brain surgery, and vascular surgery. Before the advent of 4K-3D imaging, surgeons relied upon awkward glasses with loupes attached, and had to hunch over their patients to gain the necessary view for a successful surgery. ORBEYE gives the surgical team a 3D high resolution view of the surgical site throughout the procedure, while giving the surgeon heads-up attitude throughout the procedure, relieving the neck and back strain of using magnifying glasses and looking down constantly.

“This device puts the entire surgical team on the same page which improves intra-operative workflow,” said Dr. Bryan Wohlfeld, VA North Texas Neurosurgeon. “ORBEYE improves anticipation, response times and the ability to provide everyone in the room the same view as the surgeon. This is of immense value to our team.”

VA North Texas schedules Neurosurgical procedures four days a week, with an average of 2 to 3 procedures each day. ORBEYE enhances visualization and allows surgeons to tailor appropriate surgical interventions for each Veteran. In addition, ORBEYE reduces operating times, fosters more favorable surgical outcomes and improves the patient experience.

“One of our key priorities is modernizing our systems to best serve the needs of our patients and the dedicated professionals who serve them,” said Dr. Stephen R. Holt, VA North Texas Health Care System Director. “ORBEYE gives us the ability to better our clinical outcomes and enhance access to needed, highly technical, surgeries that are saving lives and improving the quality of life of our Veterans.”


Michael Cole is a VA North Texas Health Care System Public Affairs Specialist, a retired Navy chief petty officer and Veteran of many contingency and combat operations around the globe.

 

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