Upgraded Vascular imaging enhances patient safety, efficiency

Dr. Subhash Thakur of the Oaklawn Medical Group Heart & Vascular Institute (center, facing right) meets with members of the Oaklawn surgical team as well as a representative of General Electric to discuss procedures involving the hospital’s new General Electric Innova IGS 540 imaging system.

Aug. 16, 2016

Oaklawn’s upgraded vascular imaging enhances patient safety, efficiency

MARSHALL – For a vascular surgeon such as Dr. Subhash Thakur, the work is all about saving patients’ legs, arms – and even lives.

That process will be speedier and safer for patients at Oaklawn Hospital because of its recent installation of a General Electric Innova IGS 540 imaging system, Thakur said.

“This is very high-quality equipment that will serve our purposes really well,” said Thakur, of the Oaklawn Medical Group’s Heart & Vascular Institute. Use of the system will also be a convenience to patients, who will be able to remain in Marshall instead of being sent to another facility, he said.

Acquiring the system was the result of years of planning and discussions among Oaklawn’s medical and administrative staff, including Thakur, who joined the medical group three years ago.

“Now we will be able to look directly at complicated problems involving the lower leg, the arms, the carotid arteries and arteries of the abdomen while we work in the operating room,” said Thakur. “This is an improvement over the images from earlier equipment.”

The new imaging system also permits closer views during surgeries involving arteries and veins connected to the intestines and kidneys, he said.

The chief advantage of having such equipment in the operating room instead of the radiology department is that the surgeon can see and resolve issues immediately during the surgical process, Thakur said. That reduces the number of times a patient must undergo diagnostic testing and permits the surgeon to address any problems far more quickly.

Thakur said another intent is to obtain the best possible imagery of the patient’s affected areas at the lowest possible radiation dosage, while injecting a minimal amount of contrast dye. That reduces the patient’s level of after-effects and speeds up the recovery process, he said.

“Overall, the outcome is better,” Thakur said. “You can see everything in so much detail that I can do finer work” during surgery.

The system’s large display monitor – about the size of a very large flat-screen television display – incorporates multiple images from multiple sources, and permits customized, highly focused, deeply detailed clinical layouts that staff can adjust easily, according to General Electric systems equipment trainers.

“The quality of imaging is so high that you can see far more than with other machines – see smaller and deeper lesions that you can’t really see with other machines,” Thakur said. “It’s really all about quality and safety, because it’s better for the patient and reduces the possibility of complications.”

“Obtaining equipment such as this is part of Oaklawn’s persistent effort to address its overarching goal – striving to provide perfect care every time,” said Ginger Williams, Oaklawn’s President and CEO.  Use of cutting-edge technology that clearly improves patient safety and patient outcomes has long been a hallmark of Oaklawn’s approach to achieving this goal, she said.

“Such a patient-focused philosophy coupled with a forward-thinking approach to technology allows us to cultivate the atmosphere of a small community hospital that thinks – and behaves – like a much larger institution,” she said.

“I know our patients will benefit in many ways from this addition to our range of services,” said Mark A. Montross, Executive Director of the Oaklawn Medical Group. “For the past three years, Dr. Thakur has been at the helm of what has become a wonderful team focusing on vascular surgery, and this will be a huge step forward for us all.”

“As always, our vision is to provide a full range of surgical services and skills close to home in Calhoun County and among the many other communities we serve,” Montross said.

Thakur is board certified in vascular surgery and is trained in all aspects of vascular surgery; open and minimally invasive procedures and vascular medicine. For three years prior to joining the Oaklawn Medical Group, Thakur maintained a private practice in Marshall, through which he performed procedures at Oaklawn.

The Oaklawn Medical Group’s Heart & Vascular Institute is based in Suite 2F of the Wright Medical Building at 215 E. Mansion St. in Marshall and may be contacted at (269) 789-8272.