NORFOLK, Va. - Sentara Norfolk is in the process of upgrading 18 operating rooms with brand new technology to improve patient care.
The updates are part of the hospital's ongoing $200 million expansion.
The first five upgraded ORs became operational earlier this year and include two Neurosurgery ORs with a new iMRI machine to aid tumor removal, two vascular hybrid ORs and a new dedicated Trauma OR.
iMRI is an MRI that's done mid-surgery to help neurosurgeons know if they removed the entire lesion or tumor without having to wake the patient up.
"If we have to go back and resect more we will be able to achieve that goal without having two surgeries done. Sometimes that's very critical for patient to improve and get better," said Dr. Wylie Zhu, Chief of Neurosurgery at SNGH.
The new iMRI is expected to be up and running in June.
