Nearly 500 patients benefit from Stewart E. Allen Hybrid Operating Room in its first year of operation

The QEII Health Sciences Centre recently reached the one-year anniversary of the Stewart E. Allen Hybrid Operating Room (OR) which combines advanced imaging technology within an operating room. 

Surgeons in the hybrid OR can complete both minimally invasive and complex cardiac and vascular surgeries using donor-funded imaging equipment, allowing them to better assess their patients, inform their procedures in real time, and respond to emergencies and complications more efficiently. The space is proudly supported by QEII Foundation donors.

“It’s an exciting time to have the Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR because we can offer patients many surgical options, perform complex surgeries, and be inventive with solutions and procedures,” says Dr. Christine Herman, a specialist in aortic, endovascular, and cardiac surgery. “The hybrid OR allows us to provide a standard of care that evolves with changes in technology and provides additional safety to our patients by eliminating transfer and providing minimally invasive surgery when the option is available.”

This innovation also provides patients with rapid access to care, saving critical time from transporting patients to radiology and back to the operating room, and reduces the time spent in the surgical suite. Along with cardiac and vascular surgery, the hybrid OR supports radiology, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, and general surgery.

Surgical teams are proud to care for their patients in the Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR using technology such as CT Fusion that allows for surgical planning from multiple angles, and the exceptional imaging that allows for greater detection of pathology and the precise placement of grafts.

Since opening in October 2022, over 470 surgeries have been completed in the Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR. The operating room is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada and is a state-of-the-art space that provides life-saving care for Nova Scotians and patients across the region.

The Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR was made possible by QEII Foundation donors, who funded $4-million worth of equipment and technology within this innovative space as part of the We Are campaign. This includes a $1-million donation by the OR’s namesake and late philanthropist, Stewart E. Allen.

Photo credit: QEII Foundation/Uncharted