Jacksonville, Florida - Wolfson Children's Hospital, renowned for its pediatric spine program, has acquired a new O-arm® Multidimensional Imaging System. The system is being used at Wolfson Children's Hospital for children with severe scoliosis who need surgery to place implants in the backbone to keep the spine stable and aligned. Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine.

The O-arm system "marries" the radiographic technology of a CT scan and virtual navigation. The C-arm shoots a one-dimensional picture. However, the newer O-arm® Imaging System spins around the patients like a CT scan, providing complete multi-dimensional, intra-operative surgical imaging, including real-time, 3-D images, as well as multi-plane, 2-D and fluoroscopic imaging. Using these images, Wolfson Children's Hospital's pediatric orthopaedic surgeons can view the patient anatomy in the operative position, monitor the status of the surgery, and verify the surgical changes with a 3D image prior to the patient leaving the surgical suite.

"Previously, we had to take multiple X-rays throughout surgery, which are one-dimensional and expose the child, the physician and staff to higher doses of radiation," explains Wolfson Children's Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery Eric Loveless, MD, a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon with Nemours Children's Clinic.
Images from the O-arm help to guide the surgeon through the spine, within a millimeter of precision. "When I place the tips of my drill and other instruments into the back in order to place screws and connecting rods into the spine to straighten it, I can see and avoid the child's critical structures that are millimeters away such as the nerve roots and the spinal cord," says Dr. Loveless. "This increases patient safety while being a lot more accurate and decreasing operative time."

He adds, "To further enhance patient safety, the manufacturer of the O-arm is coming out with new software designed to further decrease radiation for the pediatric patient. We'll be getting this in January."

Initially intended for use in orthopaedic surgical procedures, the O-arm® Imaging System features the design flexibility to allow for expansion to additional surgical applications. Plans are for pediatric neurosurgeons at Wolfson Children's Hospital to use the O-arm in the future. Dr. Loveless is also using the technology for certain pelvic surgeries and will soon use it for limb and pelvic reconstruction.

"Only a few nationally known, premier children's hospitals in the country have this technology," says Dr. Loveless. "We're really excited to have the O-arm at Wolfson Children's Hospital."

The O-arm® Imaging System received FDA clearance early 2006.

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Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, serves as our region's pediatric referral center and only hospital just for kids. The 180-bed, patient- and family-centered hospital features an environment filled with bright colors, warm smiles and the latest children's medical technology. At Wolfson Children's, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, orthopaedic conditions, behavioral health disorders, and more. The hospital is staffed by pediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals specially trained to work with children. Wolfson Children's pediatric partners include Nemours Children's Clinic, the University of Florida Jacksonville, and Mayo Clinic Florida. For additional information, please visit wolfsonchildrens.org.

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