St. Boniface Hospital has opened its new hybrid operating room for vascular and endovascular procedures.

The Winnipeg health hub will use the room, which treated its first patient Dec. 13, for the treatment of vascular and cardiac system diseases, including patients with aneurysms or atherosclerotic disease.

The vascular system refers to the vessels that move blood and lymph through the body.

The St. Boniface Hospital Foundation said the surgical theatre is the first of its kind in Manitoba, with “cutting edge” technology, equipment and infrastructure.

Surgeons will be able to do traditional open surgeries, which require large incisions to replace or repair arteries, and less invasive endovascular surgeries in the same room.

In endovascular surgery, doctors thread flexible catheters through small incisions to reach damaged blood vessels internally, while using a medical imaging device used to make real-time video of the inside of the body via X-rays.

Foundation chief executive officer Karen Fowler said projects such as the new operating room can improve care and outcomes for patients.

Performing imaging studies in the same room as surgeries lessens the need to move patients between different areas during a procedure, which reduces the risk of infection, according to the hospital foundation.

The room is equipped with medical imaging fluoroscopic C-arm, two large screen monitors, a specialized operating table and space for additional equipment and health workers.

“The hybrid operating room has long been a long-term goal of the vascular surgery program,” vascular surgery regional lead Dr. Randy Guzman said in a statement.

“Our vascular surgery will be better positioned than ever to deliver outstanding clinical care, advance clinical research, and teach future residents and medical students.”

The hospital foundation said the $6.5-million project was funded fully through its donors, which it expects to attract surgeons, radiologists, nurses and other health-care workers.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca