Sony’s Imaging Network Illuminates Future Operating Rooms (FOR) at St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim
24 May 2005
Trondheim, Norway, 24 May 2005 – As part of its rebuilding programme, St Olavs Hospital in Trondheim has built two new future operating rooms comprising the latest state-of-the-art digital Audio Visual Information Technology (AV/IT) solutions supplied by Sony and other leading manufacturers.
The new hospital aims to be one of the best and most innovative in Europe using the facilities as a test bed for research and development. New treatment methods combined with greater efficiency through substantial investment in IT systems will support St. Olavs' aims.
Sony delivered and installed an imaging network based on High Definition (HD) video and the DICOM standard for high-quality image processing in the new FORs. The AV/IT solution is an integral part of the new building containing an operating room for laparoscopic surgery, a second operating room for endovascular surgery, a control room, a teaching auditorium and a patient preparation room.
The advanced solution, designed following extensive workflow evaluation by Sony’s Professional Services team, endeavours to meet the precise needs and operational requirements of surgeons and nurses to improve efficiency and precision in the operating rooms and help medical students follow operations on screen from a separate auditorium, instead of having to be physically present in the rooms. At the same time, the ability to transmit and receive sound and visual images to surgeons in other parts of the hospital (or indeed the world) to gauge their feedback and opinions will be invaluable.
"Patient health is a key concern for us which is why we chose the most innovative technology to rebuild St. Olavs. The AV/IT solution not only meets our need for the best teaching practice, with students able to see the most sophisticated techniques without compromising hygiene, but we now also have the ability to store the OR images digitally and share them with other medical staff, using the DICOM visible light PACS archives for digital patient records," said Dr Ronald Maarvik, Chief of Department, National Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, Trondheim University Hospital, St. Olavs. The minimally invasive nature of the surgery involved will also allow more operations to be performed and accelerate patient recovery, particularly among the elderly.
St. Olavs hospital is being virtually rebuilt, with over 80% of current buildings being demolished and replaced by new facilities. This massive project is being undertaken in stages over a number of years, with final completion expected in 2014. Through integration with an existing Faculty of Medicine, St. Olavs will become a university hospital, able to pride itself on its reputation for research and teaching, as well as the quality of care that its patients already enjoy. It is because of this requirement for efficiency and innovative working methods that Sony was invited to deliver an AV/IT system to create the future operating rooms. The plan is to evaluate this new AV/IT solution over a five year period to develop best practice, then dismantle the system and move it to a new, permanent, home as building works progress. Further system developments will take place as new requirements are identified.
The Sony solution uses the latest image-based technology to create two superb new operating rooms, making St. Olavs the first hospital in Europe to use such an advanced network solution for processing medical images of high definition quality. "We expect that future results here at St. Olavs will enable us to improve medical applications through the use of this equipment. We are delighted to be working with such a progressive team and look forward to this partnership developing further as new requirements and ways of working are identified," stated Vidar Liverod, Sony's Nordic Business Manager.
The facilities provided to meet all the hospital AV/IT needs include the following:
- High Definition (HD) video systems for laparoscopic and endovascular surgery
- HD projection for large-screen viewing of laparoscopic surgery procedures
- HD and IP cameras with pan, tilt and zoom facilities in both ORs, for optional overhead viewing and recording of procedures and activities
- Wireless microphone systems for hands-free communication between surgeons and students in the viewing gallery
- Video conference (VC) systems to permit video and audio communication with surgeons and students in remote locations via IP networks
- DICOM system for capturing, viewing, routing, storing and managing DICOM images
- IP cameras and control system for general patient and area observation, together with wireless option for camera control and viewing
- Desktop conference system for remote video and audio communication and training between surgeons and up to 20 students over an IP network
- Extensive digital signal routing and distribution for both HD and SD (Standard Definition) video signal sources
- Local Area Network (LAN) to provide connectivity for all IP-based components and equipment
- Multiview device for presenting multiple images from various sources on a single screen
- Touch-screen control system for easy, quick and intuitive operation of all system devices
- HD and SD recording devices
- Film and paper printing of outputs from various modalities
Drawing on the consultancy, project management and support of the professional services team in Basingstoke, UK, which evaluated the hospital's workflow to tailor-make the proposal, Sony Norway delivered the project, which met and exceeded all the needs of the hospital. The multi-national team worked seamlessly to successfully deliver the project in just over two months to a highly satisfied customer.
