A P R I L 2 0 1 5 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 4 5
W
arren B. Boling, MD,
FAANS, FRCSC,
FRACS, says image
guidance gives surgeons the confi-
dence they need to know where they
are in the anatomy in relation to criti-
cal structures. "If you bring more data
into the operating room to perform
more minimally invasive surgery, pro-
cedures are shorter, there are fewer
risks of infection and patients recover
faster with fewer complications," says Dr. Boling, who's
a neurosurgeon at KentuckyOne Health in Louisville.
"That's really the revolution that's taken place."
Can the latest imaging technologies help you oper-
ate more aggressively? Dr. Boling shies away from
using that term. "Let's just say we can accomplish
more complete surgery," he says, explaining that real-
time imaging lets surgeons treat targeted anatomy
and confirm they've accomplished intended tasks.
He says image guidance provides important infor-
mation about where structures are located, without
which some complex surgeries cannot be performed
safely. He says spine reconstructions and decompres-
sions have been completely transformed by image
guidance, allowing for more involved repairs through
small percutaneous openings.
"Just his morning I operated on a patient with a
herniated lumbar disc," says Dr. Boling, on the day we
talked. "It was a straightforward surgery, but it's now
able to be done through ports that leave only a Band-
Aid-sized scar. We remove the disc herniation and
patients go home the same day."
Image guidance lets Dr. Boling place rods and
screws during larger reconstruction surgery through
the same small percutaneous openings. "Using
sophisticated image mapping technology, and hav-
ing the expertise to use it, is essential," he says.
Dr. Boling believes complex surgery shouldn't even
be attempted without imaging technology to map sur-
gical pathways and confirm successful outcomes.
"Nowadays, I think image guidance is the standard of
care," he says.
— Daniel Cook
FRONTLINE FEEDBACK
Why Surgeons Love Image Guidance
z ROOM UPGRADE New integrated ORs at KentuckyOne Health
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