Surgical Associates, S.C.,

Interview with Surgical Associates, s.c.

Surgical Associates of Wausau WI provides the most advanced general, vascular and specialty surgery services throughout central and northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Being independently owned by the surgeons allows them to choose the most advanced equipment and provide the best personal care for their patients.

Robert Tryba is the Senior Technologist on site and has over 18 years of experience working in a cath lab. He has been with Surgical Associates prior to the opening of their office based lab, July 1, 2014, supporting 90% of the cases using the STILLE imagiQ2. Please read Robert’s assessment of the table and the decision to purchase the STILLE imagiQ2 table.

Fixed Room vs. Mobile
Hospitals are always trying to improve their workflow while reducing equipment costs. Many new C-arms available on the market today have technology and features that emulate the fixed room benefits, including motorization and flat panel detectors. The surgical table also plays an important role and few of these tables are designed to work together with the C-arm quite like the STILLE imagiQ2 table. “We looked at other tables and the STILLE table came highly recommended” says Mike Murphy, Chief Operating Officer, “the table allows the C-arm to work in a fixed imaging capacity. It mimic’s the cath lab with its mobility and full imaging range, including 360 degrees, and gives the feel of a fixed cath lab for the physician and technologist”.

The imagiQ2 has a carbon fiber tabletop with an Al of just .4mm, the lowest on the market. This allows for better through-put and enhances the imaging capability while helping to reduce dose. “The carbon fiber tabletop is beautiful for imaging, the images are very clear and just as good, if not better, than a fixed room solution” says Tryba, “The whole design of the table is ideal for our OR setting. The STILLE table is very mobile, we can move the table from head to foot, or foot to head and very seldom do we require a technologist to move the C-arm to accommodate imaging, which saves time”.

Click here for our full report on dose reduction with the Stille imagiQ2 table.

Patient Care
With the increasing concern for patient safety, technologists ideally want to deliver just the amount of contrast and dose needed to get the imaging done. This is typically controlled by the injector and C-arm, but STILLE imagiQ2 can contribute towards these reductions. “Because the images with the STILLE table are clearer, we are reducing the amount of contrast to the patient and saving time by not having to re-image the patient,” Tryba goes on to say, “Less dose time, better for the patient. Because images are clearer from the carbon fiber top, image quality is better, in addition you are able to get the table very close to the flat panel and you can reduce the radiation scatter”. With many best-in-class functions, the imagiQ2 has a height range of 45 inches (with the 2 inch mattress pad), the best on the market for mobile imaging tables. “The unique contour of both the tabletop and quick-recovery mattress is very comfortable for the patient in extended cases,” adds Murphy.

Attending physicians and users of the imagiQ2 table:
Dennis J. Costa M.D.
Robert T. Brebrick M.D., F.A.C.S
Benjamin J. Herdrich M.D