New microscope aids in brain, spine surgery at Banner Boswell Medical Center
SUN CITY, Ariz. (April 30, 2010) – Neurosurgeons at Banner Boswell Medical Center now have advanced new technology to help increase the visual field for microsurgery of the brain and spine. The $313,000 high-definition microscope was made possible through the support of community contributions received through Sun Health Foundation.
The new microscope is used in more than 60 percent of Banner Boswell’s neurosurgical cases, including in the recent posterior cervical laminectomy of John Wakely, MD, a Peoria resident and an internist on staff at Banner Boswell and Banner Del E. Webb medical centers.
For nearly a year, Dr. Wakely experienced pain and weakness in his right arm due to a bone spur encroaching on a nerve in the C5 area of his vertebrae. The pain had gotten so bad, he stopped playing golf, doing work around the house and helping to coach his son’s sports teams. Medication therapy failed to work and surgical repair was deemed the only solution.
During Dr. Wakely’s operation, neurosurgeon David Pootrakul, MD, used the microscope to help him navigate precisely to the area that was causing pain and remove the bone spur, sparing muscles and vital nerves along the way.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do this surgery without the microscope,” Dr. Pootrakul said. “It provides the increased precision and accuracy necessary to perform complex cranial and spinal procedures.”
As soon as he awoke from surgery, Dr. Wakely said he felt a “marked reduction in pain.” The surgery requires an overnight stay in the hospital, and patients typically return to work in about a week. Dr. Wakely will undergo physical therapy to regain his arm strength and anticipates a complete recovery within a couple months.
The new microscope has a variety of features that benefit both physicians and patients. The unit has a 24-inch widescreen high-definition monitor that displays the image seen by the surgeon through the ocular lens and can capture still and video images. It also allows surgeons to perform intraoperative angiograms to show the blood flow in the brain for patients undergoing aneurysm surgery, decreasing surgery time and reducing the risk of infection. Additionally, the microscope has three eye pieces to allow assisting physicians or operating room nurses to view the surgical area during the procedure.
"We are grateful for the new surgical microscope. It has provided bright and focused vision to our neurosurgical cases,” said neurosurgeon Jesse Babbitz, MD. “In a broader sense, it is part of our journey to build a neurosurgical center of excellence."
Banner Boswell offers comprehensive diagnostics and neurosurgical treatments for patients suffering from disease, disorders and injuries of the brain, spine and nervous system. For more information, visit www.BannerHealth.com/Boswell. For more information on ways to support Banner Boswell’s Neurosciences program through Sun Health Foundation, visit www.sunhealthfoundation.org.
About Banner Boswell Medical Center
Banner Boswell Medical Center is a 430-bed, acute-care hospital located in Sun City, Arizona. Founded in 1970, Banner Boswell offers heart services, cancer care, orthopedics, neurosciences, women’s diagnostics, emergency care, and medical and surgical services. Banner Boswell is part of nonprofit Banner Health, the leading provider of health services in the Valley with 22 hospitals throughout the West. For more information about Banner Boswell, visit www.BannerHealth.com/Boswell.
Contact:
Lisa Guinn
(623) 876-5704
