Donations Help the Hospital Improve its Facilities and Technology

‘Smart’ Operating Theatres at the San

Two new ‘smart’ theatres at the San have been built at the San.  Theatre Manager Alex Demidov says they are a great addition to the ten theatres already operating.

‘With an average of 18,000 operations performed at the San annually to date, the 2 new theatres are invaluable” said Alex. “The great benefit is that the ‘smart rooms’ live up to their names – being the first outside the US to offer complete navigation/stereotaxy integration being used in orthopaedic joint replacement, spine fusion, cranial and ENT surgery. Surgery is less invasive and allows faster and easier recoveries for SAH patients”.

CT Scanner Makes Saving Lives Easier and Quicker

Donations help the hospital purchase new equipment like the CT scanner that makes saving lives easier and quicker.  The San is home to Australia’s first Dual Source CT scanner with ‘128 slice’ capability which revolutionises various areas of health management – particularly for patients suspected to have cardiac disease.

The groundbreaking design of two x-ray sources and two detector rows means scans may be done faster, are more accurate and may be done with a lower radiation dose. Images are clearer and as the scanner takes a third of a second to rotate round the body and produces motion free images of the heart, more cardiac patients can be helped. San Radiologist Dr Sebastian Heintze sees it as a major milestone for medical imaging.

“The purchase is a significant advancement for medical imaging for Australia. Sydney Adventist Hospital is the first facility in Australia to install the world’s first dual-source CT scanner. The groundbreaking design of two x-ray sources and two detector rows means scans may be done faster, are more accurate and may be done with a lower radiation dose. Importantly this technology may lead to better diagnoses in other conditions. The implications for patients with heart disease are already known: the dual source CT scanner takes approximately a third of a second to rotate round the body and it produces motion free images of the heart. This means we get better images and can now scan patients who previously weren’t suitable for cardiac CT.”

The San Leads the Way With Green Light Laser Surgery

In 2005 the San undertook NSW’s first Green Light Laser procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. The Green Light Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate, known as Green Light Laser, is a minimally invasive treatment that reduces bleeding, impotence and other side effects associated with conventional prostate surgery. The procedure uses a very high-powered laser to vaporize and remove enlarged prostate tissue caused by Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). BPH causes a range of urinary problems and affects up to half of all men over the age of 50.  San based Sydney Urological Associates urologist Dr Henry Woo said the Green Light Laser is an exciting step forward in the treatment of BPH.

“We are delighted to have the Green Light Laser available here at the San” says Sydney Urological Associates urologist Dr Henry Woo. “The Green Light Laser technology has the potential to vastly change treatment of men with prostate disease. Overseas studies show Green Light Laser can reduce the risk of impotence, reduce bleeding and speed recovery.”

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system. With age and time, the prostate enlarges causing pressure on the urethra and problems with urination.  During the Green Light Laser procedure, a thin fibre is inserted into the urethra through a cystoscope, an instrument that allows the doctor to examine the bladder and prostate. The fibre delivers green laser energy that quickly vaporizes and removes enlarged prostate tissue.

“Because the laser seals the tissue as it removes it, there is substantially less bleeding and patients recover more quickly and with fewer complications,” said Dr Woo. “Importantly, the Green Light Laser provides BPH patients with the choice of a minimally invasive procedure which has the potential to rapidly restore their quality of life with a lower risk of side effects.”