JOPLIN, Mo.—Freeman Health System has entered a new era in advanced patient care, thanks to the O-arm® Multidimensional Imaging System. Manufactured and distributed by Medtronic, the O-arm provides neurosurgeons with real-time, 3-D images. Through this state-of-the-art technology, Freeman surgeons view patient anatomy in the operative position, monitor the status of the surgery, and verify the surgical changes with a 3-D image prior to the patient leaving the surgical suite. As a result, patients undergoing spinal procedures may experience less invasive surgeries, faster recovery times, and improved outcomes.
“Time is critical in the operating room,” said Dr. Ellen Nichols, Freeman Neurological Surgeon. “The O-arm offers multidimensional images in less than 30 seconds. Freeman is proud to be the only healthcare provider in this region with O-arm capability.”
The O-arm uses a flat-screen detector that enables it to collect 3-D volumetric imaging. Designed specifically for use by surgeons in standard operating rooms, the O-arm yields high-quality imaging comparable to fixed computed tomography (CT) systems.
Medtronic is the world’s largest medical device and technology company and a provider of minimally invasive computer-assisted surgery and intra-operative imaging solutions.
About Freeman Health System
Based in Joplin, Missouri, Freeman Health System is the area’s only locally owned, not-for-profit health system, serving southwest Missouri, southeast Kansas, northeast Oklahoma, and northwest Arkansas. Freeman provides comprehensive healthcare and behavioral health services, including cancer care, heart and vascular care, neurosciences, orthopaedics, and women’s services, with more than 300 physicians representing 60 specialties. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com or facebook.com/freemanhealthsystem, or follow Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Baker at twitter.com/freemanceo.