St. John’s Regional Medical Center Performs First Procedure in New State-of-the-Art Neurointerventional Biplane Angiography Suite

Now offering lifesaving care with the most advanced biplane imaging in Ventura County

OXNARD, CA – (November 12, 2019) – St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC), a Dignity Health hospital, is proud to announce that our neuroscience team successfully completed their first biplane neuroangiography procedure on Tuesday, October 29, 2019. The biplane system suite allowed surgeons to perform a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of a chronic subdural hematoma (SDH), a collection of blood on the brain’s surface, under the covering of the brain.

“The biplane suite enables physicians to implant, repair, and perform complex minimally invasive procedures, offering life-saving care here in our community,” said Director of the Neurointerventional Program, Akinwunmi Oni-Orisan, MD. “St. John’s Regional is among only a few select hospitals in the region that have the capability of this state-of-the-art biplane procedural suite, and we are proud to offer such care.”

Prior to the biplane suite, patients requiring advanced imaging capabilities and needed complex procedures for stroke and aneurysm treatment, were transported within our facility or to other hospitals. Now, our surgeons can diagnose and utilize the biplane system for interventional purposes without the need to transport their patients to a different machine.

“Community members needing this potentially life-saving neurological care can now receive it without the need to travel out of the area,” said Darren W. Lee, President and CEO, St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital and St. John’s Regional Medical Center. “St. John’s Regional Medical Center has the most comprehensive neuroscience center in Ventura County, and the creation of the biplane suite signifies our commitment to bringing the latest advanced medical technology close to home to best care for our patients.”

The biplane system features advanced imaging capabilities and can move 360 degrees around the patient, allowing for optimum correct viewing. The suite offers unparalleled performance by providing high contrast resolution x-rays, while the optimized x-ray pulse helps reduce radiation by up to 60%. The biplane also produces highly detailed three-dimensional views of blood vessels of the head and neck, which aid physicians in performing neuro-interventional procedures.

St. John’s Hospitals’ multidisciplinary neurointerventional team consisting of, neurosurgeons, neurologists, nurses and radiology technicians, who have received extensive training, which allows them to tailor our patient’s treatment plan to meet their specific needs.

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About Dignity Health - St. John’s Regional Medical Center

St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard is a recipient of the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence (2012-2015) and is rated among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care for five consecutive years. St. John’s Regional Medical Center’s cardiac program offers effective treatment for heart disease as a STEMI Receiving Center, world-class clinical research trials, a certified primary stroke center, and recently became the first hospital in California to offer the world’s smallest leadless pacemaker for patients with bradycardia – slow heart rate. In addition, St. John’s was the first and only hospital in Ventura County to perform cryoablation, an innovative procedure to treat atrial fibrillation – a common heart rhythm disorder. St. John’s Cancer Program is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and offers a lung cancer program recognized as the only Center of Excellence in Ventura County. The 16-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. John’s provides family centered care for newborns requiring highly specialized attention. Learn more about other classes, events and support groups here.