Technology and the people come together in the McLeod Center for Advanced Surgery and its OR of Tomorrow.

These fully digital surgical suites are designed to create a virtual cockpit for the doctor, enabling control of all devices, access to images and information, and ‘virtual' consultation using the Internet, with colleagues down the hall, or across the country.

McLeod is partnering with two leaders in the surgical equipment industry -- Getinge and Storz. The first of these surgical suites will be open next spring. Additional suites will open in 2006.

But what is "Advanced Surgery"? It generally encompasses one of four areas: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Interventional Radiology, Surgical Navigation and Robotics:

Minimally Invasive "Key-Hole" Surgery
In short, minimally invasive surgery accomplishes big surgery through small holes.
The advent of new surgical techniques and equipment enable surgeons to operate without making large incisions, such as those in the frame to the right. Using TV monitors and thin instruments, the result is several smaller, less noticeable incisions.

Advantages for the patient include faster healing, reduced pain and quicker overall recovery.

Interventional Radiology "Catheter Surgery"
The Cutting Edge of Medicine, Without the Cutting

The new cutting edge of medicine accomplishes many of the same results as surgery, yet with an incision the size of a nick to the skin. Interventional radiologists use high tech imaging and thin catheter to target treatments precisely.

Surgical Navigation "Image-Guided Surgery"
Just as a GPS unit can guide a driver or boater to the correct location, MRI-guided neurosurgery uses sophisticated images to indicate the precise point surgeons need to find.

As the OR of Tomorrow advances, the precision will increase along with patient safety and the chances of full recovery.

Robotics "Surgeon-Guided Enhancements"
Sensitive robotic extensions can combine the best of computer accuracy and a surgeon's delicate touch. Technology extends the human senses to reach places inside the body with less disruption, more precise repairs and faster recovery.

The future of the OR of Tomorrow in the McLeod Center for Advanced Surgery holds amazing possibilities for patients through new breakthroughs in robotics.