Providence Tarzana Medical Center on Friday became the first hospital in the nation to use the latest generation in imaging – in this case to aid a surgeon in opening the clogged carotid artery of a patient who had suffered a small stroke.

Zahi E. Nassoura, a board-certified vascular surgeon and chief of staff at Tarzana, liked what he saw in the crystal-clear image provided by the new German-made Ziehm Vision RFD, approved late last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and installed this week at Tarzana.

The quality of the image on screen is critical in such minimally-invasive surgeries that involve placing a thin catheter into a small incision near the groin. Dr. Nassoura threaded the stent through the catheter and, with his eyes on the Ziehm Vision screen, implanted it to wedge open the carotid, which carries blood from the heart to the brain. In this case, the patient had suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA) - known as a “mini-stroke.”

“This picture is definitely better than I’ve seen. There’s much better visibility and accuracy. I’m able to clearly see the vessels in deploying the stent,” Dr. Nassoura after the 90-minute procedure.

Minimally invasive procedures mean reduced pain, less scarring and quicker recovery for patients because incisions are small and minimal anesthesia.

During Friday’s procedure, the Ziehm Vision provided pinpoint accuracy exhibiting the circulatory system within the patient’s brain.

“It’s very exciting, not just because we’re the first but because of the capabilities for our patients,” said Gonzalo Marquez, the hospital’s associate administrator. “The equipment is state-of-the-art. It’s very small so it’s manageable, but the quality exceeds anything we’ve seen.”

For the medical team, the Ziehm Vision is compact yet flexible, taking little space in an operating room filled with various equipment.

Greg McIff, director of cardiovascular marketing for Ziehm, was on hand for Friday’s procedure.

“This is brand new to the U.S. market,” McIff said. “It’s groundbreaking in the sense that this type of imaging allows for a very clear visualization of the vasculature for the growing field of minimally-invasive therapy.

The $300,000 imaging equipment comes as Providence Health & Services continues investing in Providence Tarzana. Since the first of the year, the nonprofit Providence has purchased more than $38 million in upgrades at a medical center that had minimal capital investments for the five years it was for sale.

About Providence Tarzana Medical Center

Providence Tarzana Medical Center is a comprehensive not-for-profit acute health care facility, sponsored by the Sisters of Providence.  With 245 licensed beds, the Medical Center is committed to enhancing the value, dignity and quality of life of individuals, with special emphasis placed on meeting the needs of its community, including the poor and the elderly. There are more than 900 physicians and 1,411 employees and volunteers on staff at Providence Tarzana. Serving the San Fernando and Conejo Valleys since 1983, Providence Tarzana high quality compassionate care provided by its physicians, nurses and ancillary staff. The Medical Center houses the San Fernando Valley Heart Institute, Orthopedic Services, Women’s Pavilion & Resource Center, Pediatrics Department and Pediatric and Neonatal intensive care units. 

About Ziehm Imaging
   
Ziehm imaging specializes in the development, manufacturing and worldwide marketing of mobile X-ray-based imaging solutions. The company has been market leader in Germany for more than seven years as well as in many other European countries for two years. Today, Ziehm Imaging is a global systems provider, employing over 250 people worldwide. Extensive in-house development know-how is reflected in the Ziehm Imaging C-arms' high medical imaging performance, intelligent generator technology, significant dose savings and seamless digital network integration. Building on competence and creativity, as well as continuous dialog and close cooperation with renowned universities, research centers and hospitals, Ziehm Imaging has developed groundbreaking technologies that have made the company a global trendsetter in intelligent interventional imaging. Ziehm Imaging products are known for their outstanding versatility and their easy handling for a wide variety of medical applications. In addition, they offer seamless integration into existing IT environments for digital image data acquisition, image evaluation and image management. See http://www.ziehm.com for more information.