Bangalore, Aug 23, 2010: The country’s premier institute for medical excellence, accredited for its cutting edge innovations in medical education, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has just launched a state-of-the-art robotic x-ray imaging device that is engineered to capture some of the most comprehensive intra-operative images, optimized for cranio-spinal surgery. Called O-arm Complete Multidimensional Surgical Imaging System, the device, in simple terms, is designed not only to offer the combined functionalities of a C-arm imaging system and a CT scanner right inside the operating room, but also to offer more advanced, automatic multi-planar views to deliver very high quality 3-D volume imaging during surgical procedures.

Prof M C Misra, Chief, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center (JPNATC), AIIMS said “We are delighted to be the first in South East Asia to have such an advanced equipment for cranio-spinal surgery. One of the mandates of JPNA Trauma Centre is to provide the best in healthcare to trauma patients and the O-arm will be a step in that direction”. The new imaging system was employed for the first time on a 32 year-old patient, who broke his neck (Odontoid fracture) following a road traffic accident. A surgery to fix the neck was urgently required.  However, with the current technology, the surgery is considered complicated and risky. The O-arm Complete Multidimensional Surgical Imaging System that was employed on the patient, provided surgeons with real-time 3D images along with multi-plane 2D fluoroscopic imaging. This made the surgery very safe for the patient and ensured optimal placement of the implant.

Dr Deepak Agrawal, assistant professor of Neurosurgery, JPNATC, AIIMS, who treated the case, said, “The O-arm with integrated navigation system has the potential to cause a paradigm shift in the treatment of spinal fractures as it improves the safety of the procedure, and the quality of patient care. This is especially valuable in a training institution like AIIMS, where a novice trainee can achieve results equivalent to that of an expert using the O-arm”. “Besides, the use of O-arm results in markedly reduced radiation exposure to the staff. The imaging time is also reduced as the scan time is faster and the robotic repositioning to acquire additional images is automatic,” he added.

“Though the device is presently intended for use in spinal surgery procedures, the O-arm imaging system is designed to be extended to other surgical applications involving Computer-assisted-Surgical (CAS) Navigation,” said Jayadev Sahu, technical head, Medtronic Navigation, South Asia. “With a customized drape for the O-arm and robotic repositioning, including a park mode, the O-arm does not have to be moved in and out of the sterile field as a conventional C-arm does.  The O-arm system offers two easy one-time draping options that will guarantee a sterile field is maintained resulting for lower infection rates and highest care for the patient,” he added.