HSHS St. Anthony's 1st Hospital in Nation to Use Advanced Surgical Table for Urology Procedures

(Left to right: Angela Kelly, director of surgical services and cardiovascular services; Nichole Phillips, RN; Connie Coatney, LPN; Kaylee Davis, RN; Stacey Niebrugge, surgical services manager; Dr. David Nayak, HSHS Medical Group urologist; Natalie Hicks, RN, HSHS Medical Group; Michelle Woltman, RN; and Olivia Telgmann, RN)

HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital continues to advance their surgical technology to offer the latest innovations to enhance the care provided to area residents. The surgery department has provided robotic-assisted surgery through the MAKO® robotic-arm assisted system since 2015 for orthopedic joint replacement surgeries, as well as through the da Vinci® system since 2017 for general surgical and colorectal procedures.

Now St. Anthony’s has become the first hospital in the nation and even in North and South America to install and begin using the newly developed Nautilus operating table and x-ray system from Dornier MedTech. This innovative unit being used for urological procedures at St. Anthony’s gives urologists a high degree of flexibility, increasing patient comfort and enhancing examination quality.

With the Nautilus’ C-arm and motorized free-standing treatment table, x-ray images can be taken during procedures from different planes without having to reposition the patient. Additionally, the high-resolution imaging from unprecedented positions and angles offers doctors a wider area to x-ray in one image, helping with diagnosis and treatment.

Prior to this, urologists used x-ray equipment that was permanently connected to the operating table. Over three years, Dornier MedTech developed the Nautilus operating table, resulting in a device in which the operating table and the X-ray unit can be used both synchronized and independently of each other.

Angela Kelly, HSHS St. Anthony’s director of surgical services and cardiovascular services, shared, “The Nautilus operating table and x-ray system will be used for a variety of urological procedures to examine and treat the bladder, ureters, prostate, and kidneys, including the removal of kidney stones and treatment of tumors. There are also future opportunities to expand its use to other surgical specialties outside of urology,” she said. “Our staff is extremely excited to be able to use this innovated operating equipment to provide care for their patients. They have always embraced opportunities to expand their capabilities to be able to provide exceptional advanced care close to home.”

Dr. P.D.L. (David) Nayak, HSHS Medical Group urologist, was the first surgeon in the US to use this equipment. “The experience of using the Nautilus operating table was very impressive. The image quality of the x-ray is superb allowing a clarity essential for surgical removal of kidney stones and tumors. Additionally, the freedom to move the table independently of the x-ray allows us to get the images we need without having to reposition the patient,” he said. “It is very exciting to be the first in the nation to have this kind of technology for urological procedures.”

Chad Markham, St. Anthony’s president and CEO, shared, “St. Anthony’s is always seeking new technologies to invest in that will enhance patient care.” he said. “The spirit of innovation is strong in this community and at St. Anthony’s we are proud to partner with our medical staff to be on the forefront of medical and surgical care.”

For more information about HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, visit St. Anthony’s website at stanthonyshospital.org.