HJAR Sep/Oct 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  SEP / OCT 2021 63 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com MD. With robotic-assisted surgery, the surgeon remains 100% in control of the procedure, but the da Vinci Xi Surgical System translates their hand movements into smaller, more precise movements with the added benefit of a 3D magnified view. “This advancement offers both patients and my fellow surgeons the opportunity to do far more than conduct incredibly precise and minimally invasive procedures,” said Medina. “It also helps ensure increasingly better patient outcomes with less time in surgery, less time in the hospital, and an even smaller chance for any complications.” UAMS Performs First GammaTile Brain Surgery in Arkansas Radiation oncologist Richard Crownover, MD, PhD, and neurosurgeon Analiz Rodriguez, MD, PhD, and their care team at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have per- formed the state’s first application of GammaTile Therapy. GammaTile Therapy, marketed by GT Medi- cal Technologies and also known as surgically targeted radiation therapy (STaRT), is designed to delay brain tumor recurrence. It consists of a 3D-collagen tile embedded with a cesium radi- ation source. GammaTile is placed in the tumor cavity at the time of surgery so that it immediately begins to target residual tumor cells with radiation while limiting the impact on healthy brain tissue. “GammaTile Therapy is a welcome addition to our treatment options available to brain tumor patients,” said Rodriguez, who serves as the direc- tor of Neurosurgical Oncology at UAMS. “Small wafers are implanted around the tumor site when it’s removed and are slowly absorbed by the tissue as the radiation treatment is delivered.” GammaTile Therapy, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019, is the only radi- ation therapy specifically designed for use in the brain and offers advantages for patients undergo- ing surgery for brain tumors. GammaTile begins targeting residual tumor cells immediately at the time of tumor removal surgery while avoiding damage to healthy brain tissue. In addition, the burden of radiation treatment is reduced. Patients receive treatment while going about their daily lives and require no additional trips to the hospital or clinic for radiation therapy. Steve Boyer, 63, of Horseshoe Bend, was the first patient in Arkansas to receive the Gamma- Tile Therapy. An Air Force veteran originally from Connecticut, Boyer first noticed something wrong when his leg started shaking one day at church. Diagnosis revealed a brain tumor. Surgery to remove it was incomplete because of its location near a large blood vessel, and the tumor grew back despite receiving radiation therapy follow- ing his initial surgery. On June 14, Boyer became the first patient in Arkansas to undergo GammaTile Therapy during a second surgery to remove the tumor. “Mr. Boyer had a tumor grow back despite hav- ing previous surgery and radiation. In this situation we can perform another surgery, but typically we are limited with giving any further traditional radi- ation,” said Rodriguez. “Thankfully, with GammaTile we can admin- ister local radiation despite someone having received radiation in the past. Initial studies with GammaTile have been promising in reducing regrowth of brain tumors,” she added. “We are excited to provide this service to people like Mr. Boyer who have limited options and unfortu- nately have an aggressive tumor that can regrow in the future.” Boyer has been discharged from the hospital and is recovering well, Rodriguez said. In order to do this treatment, extensive planning and coordination between the radiation oncology and neurosurgery teams was required, including specialized training for the operating room and nursing staff. CHI St. Vincent Infirmary and Hot Springs Receive PlatinumAward for Treatment of Heart Attack Patients CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock and CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs have both received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry 2021 Platinum Performance Achievement Award, the organization’s highest rating. The award recognizes CHI St. Vincent’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. The Infirmary and CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs are among only 212 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor. “Arkansas rates third in the nation for heart dis- ease related deaths according to the CDC, but Arkansans should know they have access to some of the best heart care teams in the country,” said CHI St. Vincent CEO Chad Aduddell. “Our minis- try’s healthcare providers take steps every day to improve our already exceptional care and we’re thrilled to see the Infirmary and CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs both recognized in this way for their ongoing commitment to compassionate care for the communities we serve.” To receive the Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, both hospitals demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain – MI Registry for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participa- tion in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recom- mendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients. “As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, CHI St. Vincent has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving qual- ity of care in patients with acute myocardial infarc- tion,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Com- monwealth University Medical Center. “By meet- ing the award requirements set forth in the regis- try, the Infirmary and CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs have demonstrated a commitment to provid- ing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guide- line recommendations.” CHI St. Vincent Infirmary was also named the 2020-21 Best Hospital in Arkansas for Cardiology and Heart Surgery by U.S. News & World Report . The leading cardiologists and heart surgeons at the CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute have also been repeatedly recognized for excellence in heart care, including the recent receipt of two distin- guished three-star ratings for patient care and out- comes from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. n