health & wellness New Spinal Navigation Technology Allows Advanced Procedures, Expert Care

Sponsored by Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center

TheNeurosurgery team at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center is using the latest treatments and technologies to provide a high level of care close to home.

Curve™ Image-Guided Surgery is being used for advanced neurosurgery procedures. Curve™, by BrainLab, provides surgeons with better guidance and control during surgery to enable less invasive, more precise, and safer procedures, giving patients better outcomes and a faster recovery.

“Spinal navigation is primarily offered at large hospitals, which limits patient access,” says Dr. John P. Lynes. “Having this technology locally allows us to provide our patients with a higher level of care closer to home. With better visualization of the surgical site, incisions can be minimized, critical structures, such as blood vessels and nerves, are better protected, and overall outcomes improve.”

Curve™ Image-Guided Surgery displays 3D images of the patient’s anatomy based on CT, MRI, and other types of scans. Utilizing touch-screen monitors and two infrared cameras, surgeons are able to track the patient’s exact position on the operating table relative to the surgeon’s instruments.

“Like a GPS for the spine, this technology lets us [surgeons] know exactly where we are at all times. It's an incredibly powerful ‘surgical sixth sense,’ allowing us to reliably place and double check screws during procedures, such as lumbar fusions. This precise tracking helps us keep the patient safer and makes surgery more efficient,” says Dr. David A. Weiner.

Curve™ helps surgeons identify the surgical entry point and entry angle. Then, the 3D images instantaneously update to provide guidance during surgery. These high-quality images show crystal clear tissue differentiation that, along with the rapid refresh rate, allow surgeons to easily navigate and protect delicate structures in the body.

At Sentara, Drs. Lynes and Weiner have used the technology for fusion and stabilization procedures. Whether such procedures are necessary as a result of trauma, tumors, or degenerative spine disease, the technology allows for smaller incisions and more precise screw placement. Yet, the technology can be used for virtually any brain or spine procedure.

In addition, Curve™ is a total information gateway, allowing physicians to view, share, and connect easily to tools both outside and in the operating room. Neurosurgeons can plan surgery and share treatment plans with other doctors on the patient’s care team, providing greater coordination of care. “There are many ways we work to improve the health of our community,” says Julie Billingsley, Director, Patient Care Services, Orthopedics and Neurosciences at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. “That’s why we continue to add new, advanced technologies that help our surgeons offer less invasive, better coordinated, and safer care.”

To learn more call 703-523-9875 or go to sentara.com/neuro