Classes & Events News Get
Updates
Donate

Surgeons at Overlook and Morristown Medical Centers Improve Spine Surgery with 3-D Imaging in the Operating Room

January 4, 2016

January 4, 2016, Summit, NJ — Having the right information at the right time and in the right place is critical in today’s operating rooms. That's why Overlook Medical Center and Morristown Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, installed the Medtronic O-arm® Intra-operative Imaging System and the StealthStation® Surgical Navigation System, a new technology to enhance outcomes for patients who need spine surgery. The O-arm combines mobility, low-dose x-ray imaging and ultra-fast image processing to provide real-time 3-D navigation during surgery. It enables the surgeon to obtain highly detailed images of the surgical site in seconds, all without moving the patient. The result is more accurate placement of spinal hardware, often with smaller incisions, shorter surgical time and less blood loss, muscle and tissue damage, less pain and faster recovery than is possible with older technologies.“The technological advancements we see evolving in everyday life also translate to the surgical equipment we use in the operating room,” says John J. Knightly, vice chair of neurosciences and medical director of the NeuroSpine Program at Overlook Medical Center, as well as chief of neurosurgery at Morristown Medical Center. “When applied appropriately, and by experienced users, these technological advancements enhance the safety and accuracy of spinal surgery which leads to safer surgeries and improved patient outcomes.”

Spine surgery is a rapidly evolving field as more traditional large open spine surgeries continue to give way to minimally invasive spine (MIS) surgical techniques. These minimally invasive approaches have the potential to decrease blood loss, minimize trauma to surrounding tissues, and limit post-op deformities.  The safe and effective practice of these techniques requires training and a thorough knowledge of the spine and the patient’s clinical condition and relies heavily on technological advancements in imaging.MIS surgery is typically performed through small portals that pass through muscle without destroying it. The O-arm enables spine surgeons to navigate to the diseased area through these portals with high-definition microscopes to then visualize the affected structures.  “The O-arm allows visualization of the intricate anatomy of the spinal segments, especially when the spine is deformed or has had previous surgery, which is crucial to the safe and effective performance of the procedure,” says Jason E. Lowenstein, MD, orthopedic surgeon and specialist in scoliosis and spinal deformity surgery at Morristown Medical Center.  “The O-arm technology gives surgeons the ability to visualize and track in real-time the position of their surgical instrumentation and thus avoid critical structures such as the spinal cord when performing complex spinal reconstruction surgery.”

Spine surgeons at Atlantic Health System’s Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers are using the integrated imaging and navigation systems for treatment planning and surgery for:

  • Spinal Deformity
  • MIS Spine fusion
  • Spinal Trauma
  • Spinal Tumors
  • Revision surgery

Learn more about the Spine Program at Atlantic Health System >

The O-arm® Intra-operative Imaging System and the Stealth Station® Surgical Navigation System are manufactured and distributed by Medtronic Inc. (NYSE: MDT). Please consult your physician. A prescription is required. For further information, please contact Medtronic at 1-877-242-9504 and/or consult Medtronic’s website >

About Atlantic Health System

Atlantic Health System, headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, is one of the largest non-profit health care systems in New Jersey. Atlantic Health System has created a Trusted Network of Caring™.  Our promise to our communities is that anyone who enters our system will receive the right care, at the right quality, at the right time, at the right place and at the right cost. Our network includes Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ; Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ; Newton Medical Center in Newton, NJ; Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ; and Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, as well as Atlantic Rehabilitation, and Atlantic Home Care and Hospice. It also includes its subsidiary, Atlantic Ambulance Corporation. Atlantic Health System comprises 1,599 licensed beds, more than 14,000 employees and more than 4,000 physicians. Atlantic Health System has a medical school affiliation with the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University; a Major Clinical Affiliate of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey; part of Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, one of the largest ACOs in the nation, and is a member of AllSpire Health Partners.
Learn more about our Trusted Network of Caring™ at Atlantic Health System >  
 

About Overlook Medical Center

Overlook Medical Center, based in Summit, NJ, is a recognized leader in neuroscience care and home to some of New Jersey’s top doctors, most compassionate care and most advanced technology and treatments.  Atlantic Neuroscience Institute is the region’s leader in neuroscience care, offering a broad range of advanced neurological, neurosurgical and neurodiagnostic services. Overlook Medical Center is home to the Brain Tumor Center of New Jersey and the largest and most experienced CyberKnife program in New Jersey.  Overlook is certified as a Level IV Epilepsy Center and one of 10 sites in the United States to be designated a Tourette Syndrome Association Centers of Excellence.  Overlook Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey recognized as one of “America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care™ and Critical Care™” in 2016 and New Jersey’s only recipient to receive Healthgrades’ Distinguished Hospital Excellence Award and Stroke Care Excellence Award.  U.S. News & World Report recognizes Overlook Medical Center among the best hospitals in central New Jersey and as a “Best Regional Hospital” for neurology & neurosurgery.   Accredited for behavioral health care by The Joint Commission, Overlook Medical Center is also advanced certified by The Joint Commission as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. The hospital is also Joint Commission-certified in spine surgery, wound care, and primary care medical home (PCMH) for patient-centered, comprehensive and coordinated care.  Overlook Medical Center is nationally accredited by the American College of Surgeons-Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.  Overlook Medical Center is part of Atlantic Health System, one of the largest non-profit health care systems in New Jersey.