Foundation Projects
IREX
In the world of IREX virtual reality, those disabled by brain injuries and orthopedic disorders can practice soccer or volleyball, swim with sharks or conquer a slope on a snowboard, thanks to a new technology being installed in Mills-Peninsula’s Outpatient Therapy area.
This technology allows patients to practice movements by being placed in a computer-generated world (virtual reality) that produces various functional movements in both the upper and lower bodies, and then measures and records data from the activities.
Dr. Lefkos Aftonomos, Medical Director of Rehabilitation, noted that the most powerful way to stimulate brain reorganization, as well as improve other functions, is through intensive, repetitive practice, which can be extremely boring.
Bioness
Those suffering from leg or arm disabilities due to stroke, brain or spinal cord injuries now have a better chance of moving more normally with a bionic splint that electronically stimulates the muscles. “The Bioness technology unites biology and engineering,” said Dr. Lefkos Aftonomos, Medical Director of Rehabilitation, adding that Mills-Peninsula started using the equipment in January.
With the Bioness hand unit, Aftonomos said, patients can pick up, grasp and release objects. The leg unit helps prevent leg drop, a condition in which the rest of the body pulls along a malfunctioning leg. People with leg drop often trip over their own toes and are prone to falling.
The equipment can be used in two ways. First, it therapeutically retrains brain patterns and muscles to eventually work without the brace, according to Aftonomos. Secondly, it can be a permanent or long-term brace for people whose muscles take longer to respond. Aftonomos said some patients buy or rent their own units, but they are costly and usually not covered by insurance. However, the one-on-one therapy offered at Mills-Peninsula generally is covered.
“This is part of an overall program we’re developing to strengthen our resources for patients with neurologic conditions,” added Aftonomos. “Until recently, therapists thought that after three months of therapy for one of these conditions, there wasn’t much more we could do. Now, we’re discovering that recovery for neurological injury may be life long.”
3D/4D Breast Ultrasound
The same non-invasive technology that uses sound waves to allow parents to see three-dimensional photos of babies in the womb is helping detect breast cancer in women at high-risk.
“Ultrasound is a totally different way to image the breast, and is used to supplement mammography,” said Harriet Borofsky, M.D., director of the Mills-Peninsula Breast Center.
Although the technology has many uses, Borofsky said the Women’s Center uses it for three main issues:
Fluoroscope
Exciting new technology called the fluoroscan mini C-arm is now available to speed the X-ray process, and with your help we can bring it to our Emergency Rooms this fall.
According to Dirk Diefendorf, MD, Chairman of our Orthopedic Surgery Department, the fluoroscan may “dramatically decrease the time someone spends in the ER for orthopedic procedures.” It makes high-resolution X-ray images of a patient’s extremities instantly available, so a physician will be able to make an immediate, accurate diagnosis right in the ER, without the hassle of the patient going to a separate department. Plus, it’s portable, so it can be easily moved from one examining room to another.
The fluoroscan shows the smallest bones in extremities like ankles, toes, wrists, and fingers in minute detail. The imaging C-arm moves around with unprecedented flexibility and easily allows the doctor to get the specific angles needed. What’s more, to eliminate blur and distortion, the image is automatically stabilized against movement.
That means our physicians will be able to identify fractures and dislocations very rapidly and precisely. They will also be able to pinpoint the location of any foreign bodies, like needles, nails, and lead fragments. Another major benefit, Dr. Diefendorf explains, is that this advanced unit emits “very, very minimal radiation.”