All - Friday. October 19, 1984 - North Shore News

Neurosurgeons like concept,
now need funds for machinery

NEUROSURGERY
AT Lions Gate
Hospital could take a
giant step storward if
funds can be found to
finance the purchase of
a machine designed to
assist with the removal
of tumors.

By JOANNE MacD¢€

Dr. Brian Hunt, one of
two neurosurgeons at LGH,
says the Cavitron Ultrasonic
Surgical Aspirator (CUSA)
allows doctors to break
tissue into fragments so they
can be easily transported
through the suction device of
the machine and removed
trom the mass of the tumor.

Gordon Willox, a bio-
medical engineer and a rep-
resentative of Sigmacon
(based in Toronto), the Ca-
nadian distributor of the
machine, says the tip of the
sucuon device is made of
hollow titanium.

“A good way to explain it
is it works like a jackham-
mer. If you turn the
amplitude up, it’s going to
protrude a little farther into
the tumor. If you turn it
down, it’s going to come
back a little bit,’’ he says.
‘Right down the centre of
the tip is the suction, which
is constantly sucking as it’s
vibrating. So it’s actually ey :
fragmenting the tissue and Z
sucking it back out.”’ Cavitron can cut that down

Neurosurgeon Dr. Barry by several hours, just the
Purves says the new way it goes in and literally
machine, which costs be- jackhammers out the centre
tween $110,000 and_ hard part of the tumor,’’
$120,000, drastically cuts the says Purves, adding that the
amount of operating time longer a patient is forced to
needed to work on tumors, stay under anesthesia, the
as well as the amount of more likely complications
blood loss. will occur.

““Also when you're Hunt says LGH would
Operating on the brain of the like to purchase the
spinal cord, the normal machine, because of the type

NEUROSURGEON
BARRIE Purves (right)
holds the C.A.T. scan of
the brain tumor he
operated on using new
equipment loaned to
Lions Gate Hospital for
one day by Sigmacon
Medical Services. With
Purves is Gordon Witlox
who disptays the
vibrating end of the
machine that is used to

tissue isn’t distorted or tuge and volume of neurosurgery break tumors into frag-
ed on or irritated as much as performed at the facility He ments for more efficient
other wavs of dissecting if says Vancouver General and quicker operations
off So sou do less damage Hospital and = St Paul's Photo at bottom shows
to the surrounding tissue Hospital have both acquired detail of the C.A.T. scan
which translates into da very the machine, with the latter and the progress made
miportant difference for the relying mosth on donations during the course of the
patient, obviously 0 says for the purchase operation
Purves (lt cate disey be used He adds with povcrnment Be ie ae oe ; ; fore . poo
for other tumors oan other cutbacks that the province as NEWS photos Terry Peters a OT ”
parts of the body. father “not willing to put torward Manages (O Paise a pereent neurosurgical center across
than just the bear on tte this type of money Sa we ape of the purchase  prooe Canada has. within the past
spinal cord ft can used on would Like to. sumtlar fo St themsclyes  Howeser such year acquired: the trac hie Ro al Tr St
the liver or the kidneys Paul's) wo to the Community peoyects must fiest be ap which he Ceems a otra ad y U
Hdowever. Purves says the and say. (Look, this machine proved by the different levels vanee IN TUMOn surgery

machine was omitiatly pare is definitely an advantage of povernment Adds bdurent Now here announcement
heered ih neurosurgery tor coonomically and medically Hunt) says ocvery rayon weate trying too catehaup
Drain furonrs and we would very ouch like

Phhese very touph omen to have tloas well And we
Pgreottiad Ca Ey pe oof turtory would dike all the help we
have been a real mermesis fio catty pet tee aeequre thas
TRO UPON UE BOOTS fove VCabis ride Pra tye
Nod owe lho otter  spectid Purves says a cost steatirip

Police Want Homes Signed

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Brian

or

D. White

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The difference
between you and a
person who's fit

is that anything
you can do |
he can do better \

,

Call

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