COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Bassett Medical Center announced it has opened a new hybrid operating room, a state-of-the-art cardiac surgery facility that expands options for emergency heart interventions.
The new space combines a traditional operating-room setting with a complete cardiac-catheterization lab. A cath lab is a specialized area where tests and procedures are performed to diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases.
The new 1,000-square-foot hybrid operating room allows staff to perform complex procedures in one place at one time. This means patients can be diagnosed and, if needed, receive surgical intervention immediately in the same place, eliminating delays and providing the best chances for full recoveries, according to a news release from Bassett. The hybrid operating room expedites care and lowers the need to transfer patients to other hospitals.
“The new hybrid operating room at Bassett Medical Center allows the vascular surgery team to expand surgical options not previously available here,” Dr. Shelby Cooper, Bassett’s division chief of vascular surgery, said in the release. “Complex aortic heart surgery can now be done more easily, safely, and expeditiously. In addition, combined angiography procedures and open surgical procedures can now be accomplished in one setting. This greatly improves precision in real time during clinical interventions.”
The hybrid operating room is designed to care for patients with cardiovascular emergencies, according to Dr. Matthew Kleinmaier, chief of emergency and trauma services. “It allows our vascular surgeons and cardiac electrophysiologists to complete their cases in a purpose-built space while making other surgical spaces available for additional patients. Building the hybrid operating room has significantly increased our capacity to care for patients with specialized cardiovascular needs.”
Bassett’s surgical teams are also using the hybrid operating-room space for transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR), a minimally invasive procedure that can clear blockages and open a narrowed carotid artery.
“For our patients, this rapid response facility can translate into improved outcomes close to home,” Bassett Interim President/CEO Staci Thompson said. “We are very excited to continue expanding Bassett’s outstanding Heart Care Institute and make this critical service available to our patients and communities, many of which are spread across very rural areas. During a cardiovascular emergency, every second counts.”
Bassett Medical Center serves Chenango, Delaware, Fulton, Herkimer, Madison, Otsego, Oneida, and Schoharie counties