MedStar Washington Hospital Center is the first hospital in Washington, D.C., to use Brainlab Airo Mobile Intraoperative CT, an advanced imaging scanner that gives surgeons a real-time look at the brain or spine during surgery in order to make immediate decisions when it counts the most.
Thirty patients have been treated so far at the Hospital Center using the system’s synchronized imaging capabilities. The portable scanner produces high-quality CT images of the patient’s brain or spine in the operating room, allowing surgeons to clearly see their exact position and make the most precise next steps. This eliminates the need to rely on images taken before surgery that might not be as accurate or wait to get images afterwards that could result in a second surgery.
“Our goal is to provide our patients with safe and precise treatments,” said Edward F. Aulisi, MD, chairman of Neurosurgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. “With Airo, we have the ability to perform intraoperative CT imaging of a patient’s anatomy while still in the OR, allowing us to make decisions rapidly and to change course if it’s appropriate. This helps to both save time and, when combined with our image-guided surgery system, enable greater surgical accuracy.”
“Having the ability to confirm the surgical progress during procedure is critical,” added Dr. Aulisi. “Verifying one’s work intraoperatively may reduce re-operation rates and lead to improved patient outcomes. Intraoperative imaging can also offer patients the benefit of a less-invasive surgical procedure, reduced trauma, and potentially faster recovery times.”
Brainlab Airo can be used in a wide range of surgical procedures, including cranial, spinal, ear/nose/throat (ENT), head and neck trauma, orthopedic and general surgery.
