All Children's Hospital is First in Florida with New Robotic Technology for Epilepsy Surgery

All Children's Hospital is the first hospital in Florida to use the newest generation of robotic neurosurgery technology.

St. Petersburg, FL (PRWEB) October 05, 2015

All Children's Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine is the first hospital in Florida to use the newest generation of robotic neurosurgery technology. Doctors at the newly established Johns Hopkins All Children's Institute for Brain Protection Sciences have already performed a handful of surgeries utilizing the ROSA robotic surgical assistant, from Medtech, to help children with epilepsy.

What was a 12-hour procedure can now be done in less than two hours. This less invasive option also reduces the patient's discomfort and the amount of time a child is under anesthesia.

"Using the ROSA robot helps us advance treatment for patients with severe epilepsy," said Parrish Winesett, M.D., director of epileptology with the Johns Hopkins All Children's Institute for Brain Protection Sciences. "This new technology not only assists our team in identifying where in the brain seizures may be occurring, but also helps us target these areas with greater precision during surgery to provide families with answers on how to stop the seizures."

Referred to as a stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG), the robot assists the neurosurgical team in accurately placing electrodes in areas of the brain where abnormal electric activity may be occurring, helping to pinpoint the source of seizures.

"The robot acts as a navigation system for the brain," said Gerald Tuite, M.D., pediatric neurosurgeon with the Johns Hopkins All Children's Institute for Brain Protection Sciences. "Our team reviews areas of abnormal brain activity and enters the data into the ROSA robot prior to surgery. During surgery, the robotic arm directs electrodes to a pre-planned path that allows the neurosurgeons to make tiny, precise incisions and remove the areas where seizures occur."

"Only about twenty hospitals in North America are utilizing the ROSA robot so we are fortunate here at All Children's Hospital to have this technology to treat some of the most complex brain disorders," said pediatric neurosurgeon George Jallo, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins All Children's Institute for Brain Protection Sciences. "The ROSA robot provides our team with a new level of surgical assistance to treat a variety of neurological problems in children."

About All Children's Hospital
All Children's Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine located in St. Petersburg, is the most advanced children's hospital on Florida's west coast and a U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospital. With over 50 pediatric specialties and 259 beds, All Children's Hospital is dedicated to advancing children's health through treatment, research, education and advocacy. Programs that include a Clinical and Translational Research Organization, pediatric biorepository and a new pediatric residency program are driving innovation in personalized pediatric medicine and child health. A network of 11 outpatient care centers throughout west central Florida and affiliate programs at regional hospitals make All Children's Hospital a leading provider of care for children from Florida and beyond.

For more information about ROSA Robotics brain surgery with Medtech visit http://www.medtechsurgical.com

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