New Video Towers Bring High Definition to Operating Rooms

Dr. Christopher Schlachta shows off the new HD-equipped video towers in LHSC's operating rooms

Imagine seeing an internal organ in high definition - odds are it would be pretty close to the image in reality.

That's just what surgeons in London Health Sciences Centre's (LHSC) operating rooms now have the ability to do thanks to twelve new HD-equipped video towers in LHSC operating rooms.

The video towers were purchased in part by the proceeds from 2008's Country Classic Auction, a London Health Sciences Foundation annual fundraiser. Last year, the Auction raised over $300,000 for the minimally invasive surgery (MIS) program to upgrade and modernize equipment in LHSC operating rooms as the old monitors rendered images that were only slightly better than the common tube-television set; current industry standard is to use high definition monitors when performing MIS.

"These new video towers produce crisp, well-delineated images that will contribute to faster, safer and less invasive surgeries," says Dr. Christopher Schlachta, medical director of Canadian Surgical Technologies & Advanced Robotics (CSTAR). "This will, in turn, contribute to better recovery for patients resulting in more available beds and lower costs for the Hospital."

The proceeds from the Country Classic Auction combined with LHSC's original commitment to purchase this equipment made the goal of replacing every video tower at once a possibility, rather than doing a patchwork upgrade. A single large purchase from one vendor allowed LHSC to negotiate a better rate and more features. It also made the training component easier - physicians and nurses only need to learn one city-wide standard system.

Saddle up and have fun for a good cause by joining us at this year's Country Classic Auction.