CALGARY- A state of the art trauma operating room is now open at the Foothills Hospital, boasting a first-of-its-kind in North America design.
The Interventional Trauma Operation Room offers diagnostic imaging right inside the operating room, so that radiologists can scan for internal bleeding while surgeons start emergency surgery.
That means there is no need to make a life-or-death decision about where to take a patient first.
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“To be honest, when I reviewed the cases where we had unfortunate outcomes, very often it was because patients had to go to one or the other, and they were waiting for the other resource,” explains Dr. Andrew Kirkpatrick, medical director of trauma services for AHS. “You hope you’re never a patient who needs this at full capability, but if you do, you hope it’s there.”
The suite replaces an older one at Foothills, which means the cost of running it won’t increase.
“The new suite demonstrates that Alberta continues to be a leader in health care innovation, both nationally and internationally,” said Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne.
Doctors expect to use the suite’s hybrid function for one or two patients a week, and will also be used as a traditional operating room for hundreds of less severe trauma cases every year.
The $6 million project was paid for through fundraising and private donations.
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