By Maggie Carey
WKTV Contributor

University of Michigan Health-West (UMH-W) recently announced that the medical facility have obtained an Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope to aid its neurosurgery team and further UM Health-West as an Innovative Healthcare Destination. University of Michigan Health-West serves the Grand Rapids metropolitan area with 18 outpatient centers and more than 500 physicians on staff.

 

Funding for this new microscope came from The University of Michigan Health-West Foundation. This foundation strives to make care more accessible, support professional development, improve patient experiences, and serve the people of West Michigan. 

What is an Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope?

An Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope is a next generation, high resolution microscope  that will be used in the operating room to assist doctors. It will aid with robotic-guided positioning of surgical tools, 3D imaging, and provide doctors with a microscopic view of the body during surgery. Another feature of this microscope is the fluorescence capabilities will help guide doctors by lighting up tumors, aneurysms, and tissues. 

Aid for those in the operating room

The Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope will provide ergonomic relief in the operating room for doctors. Due to the positioning of the microscope, surgeons will no longer have to hunch over microscopes for hours on end while twisting their bodies in uncomfortable positions in order to reach the brain, spinal cord, and nerves of patients during surgery. Procedures can last from six to eight hours long and having technology to help relieve some of the physical pain for doctors is a great advancement for the hospital and patient outcomes.

Dr. Ronald Grifka, Chief Medical Officer, said that this microscope will be a huge support for the surgical team.

“In traditional microsurgery, the surgeon might have to keep their head tilted at a 60-degree angle for hours at a time,” Grifka said. “We know they can perform better for their patients – and have greater job satisfaction – if they are comfortable and relaxed when performing these intricate neurosurgeries.”

Another advantage of the Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope is its application in education. University of Michigan Health-West is a teaching hospital with eight residency programs. Residents now have the opportunity to view exactly what the surgeon sees and learn from them during surgeries. 

Looking towards the future 

The Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope has future applications in the world of microsurgeries.

“This is really the next generation of microsurgery,” Neurosurgeon Bryan Figueroa, MD said. “When we all can anticipate what needs to happen next, response time is faster, and we can stay perfectly in sync to optimize patient care.”

There is hope for its application in other surgeries in the future as well. Plastic surgery, ophthalmology (eye surgery), and even reconstructive surgery are areas where this kind of technology has potential.

If you are still interested in this new technology, you can view a video demonstration here!