Retinal diseases and conditions are quickly becoming the number one cause of blindness in the developed world. As our population continues to age, demands for vitreoretinal surgery by our surgical team grows. The Surrey Retina Surgical Associates group is the busiest medical and surgical retinal practice in BC, providing surgical services at Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) and Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre (JPOCSC).
To support this increasing demand, Surrey Hospitals Foundation funded a state-of-the-art Surgical Vitrectomy System, the first of its kind in BC.
The Surgical Vitrectomy System provides significant improvements for the surgical team, patients, and fellows. Retinal surgeries are usually performed using traditional microscopes, forcing surgeons to hold a tiring position during the procedure. The new system allows for better positioning and posture. It enables surgeons to perform surgeries in a more ergonomically correct position, supporting the longevity of their careers.
The System comes with several technical advantages. Its large, 3D monitor provides 50% more magnification and 5 times the level of depth perception compared to regular microscopes. This is especially important when performing procedures that require high precision and personalization to the patient’s eyes.
“We’ve been able to operate at a level that is at the best of our capabilities thanks to the equipment and technologies that have been purchased through the Foundation,” says Dr. Steve Levasseur, Retinal Surgeon and Department Head, Vitreoretinal Surgery, Surrey Memorial Hospital. “They [Vitrectomy machines] allow us to provide surgery in a safe manner and gives us the best visual outcomes to our patients.”
As a teaching hospital, it is also important that our facilities are equipped to teach fellows in the best way possible. The Vitrectomy System features a large monitor that showcase the procedure in real time so that fellows are able to watch and learn during that process. This is a great improvement from the past, where fellows would have had to look into the microscope to see the procedure.
Every donation makes a life-changing difference in health care here in Surrey. We thank our donors for this gift, and for keeping our health care facilities unstoppable.
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