Some of the best technology in CT scanning combined with high-quality neurosurgery earlier this month to create a “first” in the operating room at Littleton Adventist Hospital and a first for Neurosurgery One.
It wasn’t just the first at this hospital, or even in the state of Colorado. It was the first in the world, according to the neurosurgeon who made it happen: David VanSickle, MD, with Neurosurgery One.
On Aug. 8, 2019, Dr. VanSickle successfully used the advanced OmniTom CT scanner during Asleep Robotic Deep Brain Stimulation. It was the first surgical case in the world using the device.
“Littleton is the leading hospital in the Colorado area providing advanced treatment for Parkinson’s Disease, dystonia, and essential tremor,” Dr. VanSickle says. “We care for patients from across the nation.”
Dr. VanSickle has treated diseases like these with deep brain stimulation for years, but part of what makes the use of the OmniTom during a procedure so remarkable is the advanced technology. The device delivers better quality scans than its predecessors, according to NeuroLogica, a subsidiary of Samsung that chose Littleton for the procedure. The combination of rapid scan time, ultra-small footprint, and immediate image viewing also sets it apart.
Because there are more “slices” to the scanner imagery, with 16 instead of the 8 slices from a previous model, it takes accuracy to a new level, says Dr. VanSickle, who performs deep brain stimulation surgery at Littleton Adventist Hospital and sees patients in the Neurosurgery One Littleton and Lone Tree medical offices.