says. "That reduces the need to capture a series of images or con-
stantly reposition the arm to achieve the original desired image or
viewing angle."
• Cooling systems. C-arms are imaging workhorses, cranking away
for hours at a time to capture needed anatomical views. Overheating
can be an issue, especially during grueling orthopedic or spine cases.
When C-arms go offline, the procedure grinds to a halt until a tech
retrieves a replacement machine or the unit cools off. Neither option
is desirable — surgeons grow frustrated and patients are anesthetized
longer than they should be.
Some C-arms employ a fan and heat sink set-up to keep units cool
during procedures. Others use cooling coils to draw heat away from
the generator and imaging tube. "Perhaps the best option is an
advanced liquid cooling system, which maintains a constant circula-
tion of fluid through the imaging tube and a cooling reservoir," says
Mr. Jett. "C-arms outfitted with this high-tech cooling system can run
for hours at a time without overheating."
• Image management. Advanced software systems on newer
machines capture digital images for storing or for sending to electronic
medical records or picture archiving and communication systems
(PACS) through a secured network.
Faster image processing and the ability to manipulate images at the
tableside help surgeons gauge the effectiveness of the procedure in real
time and make needed adjustments on the fly.
Surgeons can confirm that surgical screws and implants have been
optimally placed, possibly eliminating the need for a revision surgery.
• Seeing in 3D. Capturing 3D images of targeted anatomy has yet to
be clinically proven to improve overall surgical outcomes, but Richard
Yoon, MD, believes the imaging technology can help surgeons better
reduce distal radial joint fractures. "We know we're not perfect in get-
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