NEW SURGICAL SUITES
open WeD. IN BROWNSVILLE,
TO BENEFIT VALLEY PATIENTS
NEEDING WIDE VARIETY OF SURGERIES
State-of-the-art Operating Rooms at Valley Baptist-Brownsville
feature latest HD equipment; minimally-invasive surgery;
new LED lights brighter than conventional Surgery lights
BROWNSVILLE, August 8, 2011 — Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville has completed construction to new surgery suites which will benefit Valley patients needing a wide variety of surgeries, including laparoscopic and other minimally-invasive surgeries.
The project included construction of four new surgery suites; renovation of four existing operating rooms, including a Cysto room for urology procedures; a new Day Surgery Unit with 6 private rooms and 14 semi-private rooms; the addition of pre-operative holding rooms; and a new 9-bed post-anesthesia care unit where patients recover following their surgeries.
The new surgery area features state-of-the-art equipment, High Definition (HD) monitors, new anesthesia machines, and new, improved operating room lights. The Steris LED lights are brighter than conventional operating room lights and generate almost no heat.
“This expansion and renovation of our surgery suites will benefit the women, men and children of our community,” said Leslie Bingham, Chief Executive Officer for Valley Baptist-Brownsville. “Valley Baptist is committed to ensuring that our patients receive the best possible care in state-of-the-art facilities.”
Connie Clavo, RN, BSN, CNOR, Clinical Supervisor for Surgical Services for VBMC-Brownsville, said the new surgery area is ergonomically designed for “quicker and easier patient flow.”
The area includes larger rooms with all-new, state of the art equipment, including HD video which gives physicians a “crystal-clear view” as they are performing surgery, Ms. Clavo said.
Four of the surgery suites have surgical booms (special equipment arms) to house the HD equipment used for laparoscopic surgery, along with two 42” monitors in each room. “This benefits patients by allowing for more precise treatment of various conditions requiring surgery,” Ms. Clavo added.
In many cases, laparoscopic surgery results in faster healing and recovery times. The less-invasive surgeries also save time and money for many Brownsville-area patients and their families – since in many cases they no longer have to travel to San Antonio, Houston or elsewhere for advanced medical procedures.
During laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon makes only very small incisions. Through one of the “holes,” the surgeon inserts a type of surgical “telescope”, which is attached to a video camera. Through the other incisions, the surgeon places very small instruments. The physician then performs the surgery “watching” what he or she is doing on a video screen, outside the patient’s body. This eliminates the need to make a large open cut in the patient to view the surgery. Because laparoscopic surgery requires much smaller incisions, many patients experience less pain and are out of the hospital sooner.
Ms. Clavo said state-of-the-art cardiac monitors in the Operating Rooms and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit allow surgeons and anesthesia providers to check each patient’s vital signs rapidly and easily.
For more information on surgical advances in the Brownsville area, consult your physician and visit www.ValleyBaptist.net.
