GOLD COAST SURGEONS’ SECRET NEW WEAPON
PINDARA Private Hospital has installed Queensland’s first FlexArm technology, a $1.5 million machine that allows multiple surgeons to perform procedures simultaneously.
Director of clinical services Tracey Clark said the Philips Azurion7 C20 FlexArm, which arrived in March, was already proving a game-changer for the Benowa hospital.
It’s used three times a week for chemotherapy for patients with liver cancer, vascular and other intervention procedures, as well as orthopaedics and neurosurgery.
“Having this technology is a great win for Gold Coast patients as they can now access more procedure options at Pindara rather than having to leave the Coast for certain operations,” Ms Clark said.
“It’s placed in our theatre 11 hybrid room, and while we used to have surgeons who didn’t want to work in there because of its space limitations, these same surgeons are now asking to use that room because of this amazing technology.
“It provides very highdefinition imaging and the quality is first class. It really has made a big difference.”
Mounted to the ceiling, the FlexArm allows specialist teams to perform real-time imaging across a patient in 2D and 3D without needing to move the patient or operating table.
It also enables medical specialists to access the patient from three sides of the table, allowing two surgeons to perform multiple surgeries or procedures from different sides of the table at the same time. Vascular surgeon Dr Richard WardHarvey said the machine was the best intraoperative imaging machine on the Gold Coast.
“It gives very high-quality images while being safe for the patients and staff. It is a pleasure to use and enables me to perform very complex procedures easily,” he said.