Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center (MRMC) unveiled the newest state-of-the-art hybrid operating room (OR) in Central Virginia, celebrating a new era in innovative, minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. The operating space will be utilized by high-performing cardiac and vascular surgeons as well as interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists who practice at MRMC.
The approximately 3,000 square foot addition to the operating suite will allow doctors to perform minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures; the procedures will result in better clinical outcomes and faster recovery time for patients. Both vascular surgery patients and cardiac patients will benefit from the operating room.
Since its opening in 1998, MRMC has been a destination for patients with complex vascular needs. Patients from Fredericksburg to the Northern Neck seek care at MRMC for the treatment of carotid artery disease, thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms, lower extremity peripheral vascular disease and dialysis access/venous disease. The hybrid operating room will permit the expansion of the vascular surgery program as well as the structural heart program which began in August of 2020 with the launch of the minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) program. Doctors will also be able to perform hybrid ablations, a minimally invasive treatment for persistent atrial fibrillation that combines surgical and catheter-based techniques.
Brody Wehman, MD, is a dedicated cardiothoracic surgeon at MRMC. “The hybrid operating room allows for our first-class team of cardiac and vascular surgeons, cardiologists, and operating room staff to come together to provide state-of-the-art care to thousands of patients. The opening of this hybrid OR will allow Memorial Regional to expand its reputation of excellence from one locally to across the state and throughout the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States” said Dr. Wehman.
Dr. Wehman will partner with interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists to perform the minimally invasive cardiac procedures.
Jeff Brown, MD, FACS, is a vascular surgeon at MRMC. “The construction of the new hybrid operating room at MRMC speaks to the long history of high volume, high quality cardiovascular care, provided by its talented physicians and staff. It validates the ministry’s commitment to an even more robust future. The room represents the state-of-the-art technology available in central Virginia and will enhance our ability to care for some of the region’s most sick and vulnerable patients in the safest and most minimally invasive way. We are grateful to the ministry, our referring physicians, and patients for their continued trust,” said Dr. Brown.
The hybrid operating room is just one of the many expansion projects currently underway for Memorial Regional Medical Center. The next expansion includes the addition of 44 acute care beds, including 11 intensive care beds and 33 medical/surgical beds. The $34 million-dollar expansion is expected to be complete in early 2023.