Contact: Jill Lopez, Marketing Representative/RIA
Phone: 772-464-1650
Cellular: 772-201-0220

RIA Offers Breakthrough Technology for Sinus Surgery

August 29, 2000, Radiology Imaging Associates has acquired breakthrough technology that is making endoscopic sinus surgery safer and more effective. With the InstaTrak System from Visualization Technology, Inc. the surgeon can see areas of the patient's sinuses and skull anatomy that cannot be seen with conventional technology.

Radiology Imaging Associates is proud to be the only Outpatient Diagnostic Center on the Treasure Coast with the Sinus Navigation software, to assist your surgeon with this latest technology.

The InstaTrak System shows the surgeon the actual position of surgical instruments inside a patient's sinuses, allowing more precise and thorough surgery.

Currently, a procedure called Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (ESS) is often used to repair the sinuses. In ESS, an endoscope, which acts like a miniature telescope, illuminates the surgeon's view of the sinuses. But like a telescope, the endoscope only provides a view of the immediate surface area and does not allow the surgeon to see around corners. Because of the proximity of the sinuses to the eyes and brain, sinus surgery has its risks. Now, with the InstaTrak System the risks have been greatly reduced. The precise position of surgical instruments can actually be seen, and their movements can be tracked in real time, allowing the surgeon to more accurately seek out and remove diseased tissue.

The InstaTrak System builds a computerized model of a patient's skull anatomy with computed tomography scans (CT or CAT scans) taken prior to surgery. These images, displayed on a computer monitor, provide a road map for the surgeon to follow. The System's electromagnetic tracking system links the instruments used in the surgery to the System's computer. During surgery, the tip of the instrument inserted into the patient's nostrils appears on the computer monitor as a set of cross hairs, which move through the computerized model of the patient's skull. This allows the surgeon to see the exact location of the surgical instrument in relation to the patient's anatomy.

Over 300,000 minimally invasive ESS procedures are performed in the US every year. Candidates for the procedure include patients with chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps, failed nasal surgery, chronic sinus headaches and other sinus problems that may require surgical repair.

For the 35 million sufferers of chronic sinusitis this state of the art technology offers new hope for lasting relief.

Call RIA Port St. Lucie (772) 398-2233 for more information.