It’s a matter of life and death.

A young father is injured following a serious car accident. He needs surgery. Timing is critical, but the imaging equipment is located outside the operating room (OR) in an entirely different area of VGH.

What is the best course of action? Transport the patient for imaging or proceed to the OR?

“Our Trauma Team is regularly faced with these questions,” says Steve Kabanuk, operations director, perioperative services. “The group performs remarkably in the face of tough decisions, but I’m pleased to say that these particular decisions will become a thing of the past.”

That’s because our VCH Board of Directors has approved Phase 1 of the VGH OR Renewal Project. By the fall of 2016, VGH — B.C.’s only Level 1 Trauma Centre — will have a new state-of-the-art interventional OR equipped with the highest quality imaging equipment.

A one-stop surgery shop

An interventional OR — also known as an hybrid OR — is a standard OR with sophisticated radiological imaging equipment installed. Functioning like a one-stop surgery shop, an interventional OR eliminates the need to transport patients to a different location for imaging, saving critical time when life is hanging in the balance.

“High-quality imaging on the same table, in the same setting, will mean high-quality care and better patient outcomes for trauma as well as other patients,” says Steve.

“It will revolutionize surgical trauma care, but the primary focus of the interventional OR will be to support both minimally invasive and complex open surgery, including vascular and endovascular cardiac procedures.”

For Dr. Jerry Chen, head of vascular surgery, the new OR will allow better visualization for surgeons to deliver cutting-edge technology.

“It will be great to see clearly what we’re doing without the guesswork,” he says. “Procedures will be quicker and more precise than ever, and patients will have access to the best endovascular therapy to meet their needs.”

The OR’s advanced technology will support teaching and research of complex surgical procedures, too.

“The improved visualization and large screens will allow everyone in the room, including students, to see what’s going on. It will enhance their learning tremendously,” explains Dr. Chen.

Construction and fundraising

Work on detailed designs for the conversion of OR 1 begins in September 2015, and our aim is to commence construction of areas adjacent to OR 1 in the spring of 2016. Plans are to complete much of the OR 1 construction work during regularly scheduled summer closures and into the fall of 2016.

The finalized business plan for the larger VGH OR Renewal Project will be submitted to our VCH Senior Executive Team, VCH Board of Directors and, subsequently, to the Ministry of Health this fall. The project’s scope, including the total number of ORs, and related capital and operating costs, requires approval at each level of governance.

Meanwhile, our VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation’s public campaign to raise funds for the interventional OR will kick into high gear. If you have an interest in supporting our Foundation’s fundraising efforts for our new and improved OR 1, physicians and staff are asked to contact Angela Chapman, senior vice president, philanthropy.

Learn more

• VGH OR Renewal Project website (internal link on VCH Connect)
• VCH News: “Our opportunity to think outside the box”
• VCH News: No more band-aid solutions