 
Surgery Aids Sinus Problemss |
"Because of the complex anatomy, surgeries of the sinuses are technically difficult," said Martin J. Citardi, M.D., the surgeon and SLU professor who is leading the CAS program at the West County hospital. "That's why I believe the technology that is part of this clinical research trial at Des Peres Hospital today may offer advantages over the traditional alternatives." In addition, Citardi emphasized that the study will seek to demonstrate the accuracy of this CAS system.
Citardi is an assistant professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the School of Medicine. He is a principal investigator for the initial clinical trials for this three-dimensional image guidance system, which are being conducted as part of an approval process. Des Peres Hospital is a clinical site for these trials.
Citardi is now recruiting subjects for the initial clinical trials for this investigational device. For inclusion in the study, subjects must require sinus surgery (which is usually performed for chronic sinus infections that persist despite aggressive medical treatment). It is anticipated that most subjects will have a history of previous sinus surgery, polyps, asthma, and/or fungal sinusitis. Other versions of the system will be tested for neurosurgical and spine procedures.
The CAS system provides special views of CAT scans and permits understanding of precise instrument position relative to anatomy during sinus surgery. It is a real-time guidance system that gives the surgeon continuous CAT scan views of the sinuses from various three-dimensional perspectives. During surgical navigation, a computer screen depicts exact location of the instrument tip in relationship to the patient's preoperative CT scan.
For more information about Des Peres Hospital's CAS activities, call SLUCare at 1-800-268-5880 or 268-5880. Inquiries from physicians and sufferers of sinus problems will be welcomed.
Des Peres Hospital is located on Dougherty Ferry Road immediately west of Interstate 270, which has off-ramps for both northbound and southbound travelers It previously was named Deaconess West Hospital.
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