Community Medical Center Welcomes Pulse Platform by NuVasive to Help Improve Clinical Outcomes of Complex Spine Surgeries
First-of-its-kind technology increases safety and efficiency of complex spinal procedures.
TOMS RIVER, NJ (April 5) — A team of physicians at Community Medical Center (CMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, are utilizing a new cutting-edge digital technology platform to perform complex spinal surgeries more efficiently, effectively and closer to home. With the Pulse platform by NuVasive, Sean Jandhyala MD, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon for RWJBarnabas Health, and Stephen Johnson MD, Director of Cranial Nerve Disorders and Neurotrauma for RWJBarnabas Health, have been able to complete several successful surgeries since the machine arrived in February while working closely together in and out of the operating room to ensure the best patient outcomes.
The Pulse platform is designed to increase safety, efficiency, and procedural reproducibility of surgical outcomes in spine surgery by integrating multiple technologies into one platform including radiation reduction, imaging enhancement, rod bending, navigation, intraoperative neuromonitoring, and spinal alignment tools. The platform allows surgeons to complete complex procedures in less time and through smaller incisions. It is ideal for use in trauma cases, arthritic problems, tumor removal, or fusion procedures. Currently, Pulse is the only enabling technology with the ability for utilization in 100% of spine procedures and throughout the entire operating room (OR) workflow.
“The way this technology helps both the patient and the surgeon during surgery is incredible,” said Dr. Johnson. “This technology helps Dr. Jandhyala and myself perform our surgeries with more accuracy and efficiency throughout the procedure than any other technology I’ve used.”
Drs. Jandhyala and Johnson have a unique collaboration that allows them to address complex spine issues from both a spinal surgeon and a neurosurgeon's perspective enabling them to properly address the root cause of the problem. The advanced technology of the Pulse platform and expertise of Drs. Jandhyala and Johnson offers New Jersey residents advanced spine care close to home, eliminating unnecessary travel.
“The Pulse platform enables us to efficiently and safely do challenging and delicate procedures without injuring surrounding structures,” said Dr. Jandhyala. “A procedure that would have normally required several hours in the operating room, now is significantly less with the Pulse. Besides decreased time under anesthesia, we are finding that our patients have less pain during their recovery process and are left with smaller incisions.”
RWJBarnabas Health surgeons remain at the forefront of microsurgical neurosurgical care, and have advanced the field of minimally invasive surgery through continued development and application of new and innovative surgical and non-surgical treatment options. The Pulse platform and the collaborative efforts between Drs. Jandhyala and Johnson showcases how an integrated approach to care can significantly increase patient outcomes.
“How CMC is leveraging the Pulse platform to take a multidisciplinary approach to complex spine surgery is illustrative of the integrated, full continuum of care we provide our patients,” said Patrick Ahearn, Chief Executive Officer of Community Medical Center. “While the technology is a game changer for both spinal surgery and neurosurgery, having the clinical expertise and talent to properly leverage the technology and the ability to collaborate with other clinical experts is what sets CMC apart and makes us a leader in complex spinal surgeries.”
A video of Dr. Jandhyala and Dr. Johnson discussing the Pulse platform by NuVasive is available here.
Learn more about back and spine procedures at RWJBarnabas Health.