Podiatric surgeons receive updated C-arm for continued imaging during surgery

The department of podiatric surgery at Wye Valley NHS Trust in Hereford is said to have pioneered the UK application of intra-operative x-ray C-arms operated by podiatric surgeons at work. The first system, a Fluoroscan Premier, was installed in 1999 followed by an InSight in 2006 that has now been replaced.

In the last 20 years a Fluoroscan has been the only imaging system in the unit, enabling the surgeons to undertake a full range of podiatric surgery.  The InSight Flex has recently been released and features a range of enhancements including a high resolution imaging mode that gives the user the option to utilise full detector resolution and a low dose rate mode adding the option to reduce dose rates by over 50 per cent compared to auto mode, while still providing clinically relevant images.  One of the advantages of the Fluoroscan is that it can be operated by surgeons following IR(ME)R training by Vertec applications specialists.  This changes the dynamic for scheduling elective surgery as the lists do not rely on specialist operators.

Picture: Pictured during a training session on a newly-installed Hologic InSight Flex system supplied by Vertec Scientific are consultant podiatric surgeons Mr Richard Green and Mr Anthony Waddington with Vertec Scientific product specialist Keith Lakin.

Published on page 16 of the April 2019 issue of RAD Magazine.