New hybrid theatre at The Royal Oldham Hospital

Sr. Susan Longden, Sister in charge of vascular theatres; Dr Simon Chadwick, consultant vascular anaesthetist; Sr. Susan Ashworth, theatre manager; Riza Ibrahim, clinical director of vascular surgery; Tim Barrett, chief radiographer and Dr Ranjeet Narlawar, consultant radiologist with patient Christopher Walsh

A new high tech hybrid operating theatre has been completed at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

Known as the specialist vascular service theatre, the hybrid operation room is a state-of-the-art environment where high definition imaging and surgical tools are available.

A full range of procedures can be carried out in the single room, ranging from endovascular procedures to hybrid, minimally invasive or open surgery.

The surgical theatre is equipped with an advanced medical imaging scanner which allows for advanced imaging to be available at all times during invasive procedures on patients undergoing endovascular operations such as aneurysm repairs, peripheral arterial and venous re-vascularisation and gastro-intestinal bleeding management. This means that patients will be able to have any imaging and surgical procedures simultaneously, rather than having to go through two different procedures on separate occasions.

Theatre, surgical and radiology staff will all work together in the theatre to quickly adapt the room to different setups required for diverse procedures, which will allow The Pennine Acute Trust to use the room to its fullest extent and enhance patient care. It will also help the Trust to develop services like urgent thrombolysis (clot busting) of blocked arteries and veins, and thoracic aneurysm repairs.

The room consists of an operation table with a radiolucent top, anaesthesia equipment, screens for monitoring, lighting for open procedure, an injector which injects x-ray dye into patients and an ultrasound machine.

Mr Riza Ibrahim, consultant vascular surgeon at The Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “This is a very exciting development for the Trust in terms of offering a new high tech theatre which combines a normal operating theatre with an interventional radiology suite. It can function as either a conventional operating theatre, or as a radiology facility, but crucially allows intra and post-operative imaging and intervention on the operating table.

“The new treatment options have the potential to enhance patient care and shorten recovery times, reducing the overall cost of treatment.”

Staff from across different disciplines took part in a training simulation day to familiarise themselves with the new equipment.

Sister Sue Longden, vascular senior specialist theatre practitioner, added: “This has been an excellent collaboration from all disciplines including surgeons, radiology staff, theatre staff, the estates department and GE (the installation company). Due to the blend of ideas and considerations we now have a high tech theatre suitable for more advanced procedures, a theatre in which everyone has been involved in the planning and design of, making this a real 'team theatre'.”

Tim Barrett, lead radiographer, said: “The Trust now has state-of-the-art imaging equipment, planned and installed in record time which means that our vascular theatre is on a par with any in the country.”

Patient Christopher Walsh was the first to have his operation in the new theatre. He had a large abdominal aortic aneurysm. He was deemed high risk for an open procedure and moderately high risk for an endovascular (keyhole) procedure as he had very poor kidney function.

Mr Ibrahim added: “With this new state-of-the-art equipment we were able to fuse his pre-operative CT scan and the on-table live imaging. This drastically reduced the need for contrast injection (thus protecting his already compromised kidney). He was discharged the day after his major operation.”

The work to convert the theatre into a specialist hybrid theatre was carried out by GE Healthcare and their supply chain who supplied, installed and commissioned the scanner, and Maquet who supplied the new theatre light and pendants.

It was completed within a very tight programme of three months whilst keeping the remaining theatre suite operational at all times. This required a great team effort involving contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, estates and theatre staff.