Hamilton General Hospital is a teaching hospital recognized for its renowned cardiovascular program which performs the highest number of cardiac and vascular procedures per year in the province of Ontario. The Hospital expanded their program with a Hybrid Operating Room, which integrates imaging technology and surgical equipment to support a team of experts to perform minimally invasive surgeries and traditional open surgeries in one location. It also allows specialists to perform procedures that are currently done open, in an endovascular (through the blood vessels) manner instead.

The Hybrid Operating Room was designed to be constructed without disruption to the Hospital’s daily activities. The addition is a cantilevered annex over an operational loading dock, connecting internally to a functioning surgical corridor. The space adds two new hybrid operating rooms, complete with a control room and equipment rooms. The first operating room is equipped with an integrated, state of the art ceiling mounted C-arm (imaging scanner intensifier), surgical articulating arms, and monitors. This type of operating suite uses imaging technology that helps guide surgeons with real-time images which limits the margin for unexpected complications during a procedure. The design team carefully coordinated with the equipment suppliers to ensure that the position of the equipment would allow it the space to function properly. The second operating room is designed in anticipation of future growth and will be serviced by the same control and equipment rooms.

The new Hybrid Operating Room helps improve outcomes for patients and allows the Hospital’s teams of staff and physicians to stay on the leading edge of cardiac and vascular care.