PCHF launches $1.5M-appeal for ORs
Two years ago, Lori Pomeroy’s son Campbell was rushed to the emergency room at Summerside’s Prince County Hospital with flu-like symptoms that had persisted for days.
It was no normal flu – Campbell’s body was quickly “shutting down” and he required emergency surgery.
While in surgery, it was discovered that his bowel had twisted and ruptured and he was septic.
It was determined he had Meckel’s Diverticulum and he consequently had 60 cm of his small intestine removed. Ideally, Campbell would have been airlifted to IWK in Halifax, but he was not stable enough to be transported. “He did not have time,” said Pomeroy.
“It is unimaginable to think what our story would be if these services were not available at the PCH,” she added. “Without the teams in emergency services, the operating room and the equipment used that day at the PCH, our son would not have made it.
“We are forever grateful that we can share this miraculous story.”
Surgeries like Campbell’s were made possible because of the hospital’s surgical team and the equipment purchased through donations from the community.
The surgical team performs a wide variety of procedures for patients from across the province – over 4,700 last year.
This year, a $1.5-million replacement of equipment and technology is needed in the hospital’s operating room, part of a larger $2.5-million appeal that includes needs from equipment for many departments at Prince County Hospital.
The last time the surgical unit received a large-scale advancement in technology was in 2005, during the infancy of the “new” PCH, when the operating rooms were outfitted for minimally invasive surgery — equipment that was the first of its kind in P.E.I. That was 12 years ago now and much of what was purchased then is past its prime. “Upgrading the technology and staying ahead of the tech curve allows us to do state of the art laparoscopic (MIS) procedures. If you’re going to do stateof-the-art procedures you need state-of-the-art equipment,” explained Dr. Robert McKay, a surgeon at PCH.
A key ingredient is an upgrade to the hospital’s “integrated OR,” which functionally connects the OR environment. This includes patient information, audio, video, surgical lights and room lights, building automation, and medical equipment. Users can easily route cameras and effectively control surgical equipment.
When integrated, all technology can be controlled from a central console by one operator. Donation packages for the equipment appeal are in mailboxes now and gifts can be made securely online at pchcare.com or by calling 902-432-2547. A full list of needs is also available on the website.