Pioneering the Hybrid OR in Mexico
The hybrid operating room (OR) in the Puerta de Hierro Hospital in Guadalajara, Mexico, enables minimally invasive interventions in a variety of specialties. Meet Dr. Benigno Ferreira Piña, cardiothoracic surgeon and the driving force behind this groundbreaking project.
When he returned to his native Mexico after a period at the Heart Center of the University of Leipzig in Germany, Dr. Ferreira had a desire to create a place where various specialties could come together, using cutting-edge technologies to perform a wide range of minimally invasive procedures.
He wanted to implement a concept that unites the operating room and the non-surgical intervention room with state-of-the-art, high-definition devices enabling real-time imaging.
“With this flexible approach, we can offer patients who can’t undergo conventional surgery safe treatment,” explains Dr. Ferreira. “When we introduced the idea here in 2018, the innovative Hybrid OR concept was already established in other parts of the world, helping to enable shorter surgery times, faster patient recovery, fewer reoperations and higher precision.”
The pioneering Hybrid OR in Guadalajara was inaugurated in 2019, starting with cardiac surgery, vascular and cardiac interventions and neurosurgery.
“Little by little, we increased the scope and currently we also perform spinal, urological and liver surgeries, gynecological procedures, such as embolisms and fibroids, as well as rescue interventions in child births”, Dr. Ferreira recalls.
He views the Hybrid OR as a qualitative leap in the field of minimally invasive surgery, enabling new treatment options, for example in the oncology area.
“The software allows us to plan procedures in detail. This is fundamental in complex surgeries, such as those involving the brain, where you must avoid important structure of the organ. With the system for capturing and displaying real-time images, including microscopic ones, we can also broadcast live to the entire world,” says Dr. Ferreira.
Successful partnership
The Hybrid OR in the Hospital Puerta de Hierro hospital is the result of a well-established partnership between Getinge and one of their imaging partners, which extended from project conception to implementation of customized Hybrid ORs.
The equipment includes a Getinge operating table, which enables patients to be placed in different positions without the need of moving them. An arc attached to a robotic arm, facilitates imaging of any part of the body as well as the use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).
“We worked for two years to set up the groundbreaking project in the Puerta de Hierro Hospital,” says Marisol Escudero, product specialist at Getinge. “Creating a Hybrid OR is very complex, both when it comes to choosing the most suitable equipment for the hospital’s needs and for ensuring perfect synchronization of the involved systems.”
The number of Hybrid ORs is growing around the world – a development that also results in an increased demand for specialists in minimally invasive surgery. To help meet this demand, Getinge have also developed training programs together with their imaging partners.
“The multidisciplinary team approach in the Hybrid OR encourages the development of specialists with new skills that potentially can improve surgical techniques and contribute to the advancement of patient care,” explains Marisol Escudero.
Learn more about Getinge’s solutions for the Hybrid OR >>
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