Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1134178
23 Executive Briefing: The new displays are able to reproduce colors in a way that is real and anatomically correct, important for any surgical procedure where the ability to distinguish even the most subtle color differences between tissue and blood vessels can affect an outcome. "When operating on a patient in an open field, the blood colors are true," Magnuson said. "However, looking at a 2D monitor, the blood is actually redder than it is in real life which causes the overall picture to be red and washed out. These new 4K/3D monitors present images that resemble the real field. The depth perception and clarity give me an experience that is exactly the same as if I were looking through a microscope or a robotic console. This allows me to give better narration and instruction to the surgeon, because I can see what they are doing." The increased resolution of 4K technology also gives Nicholson more flexibility in displaying content. A 4K image has more pixels and picture information than even the highest quality full HD image, so images can be enlarged or even divided into several while still maintaining ultra-high clarity and sharpness. Smith noted this is another way of giving surgeons and their teams the ability to see tissue in greater detail, while improving their own performance. "In our education programs, we've used 4K in several different ways," Smith said. "Obviously, we value the ability to put up a very beautiful, large picture for everyone. But, what we've also done with the 4K monitor is subdivided it into smaller pieces so we can stream multiple, full-HD images on a single monitor. If we don't put all of the 4K into one video stream, we might opt to subdivide it into two or three different HD formats so you can see the surgeon and what they're doing with their hands, and you can see the inside of the patient's body at full-HD without having multiple monitors." In addition to 3D visualization, Smith mentioned how 3D recording is a great educational tool. "If you can record in 3D, it makes the real-time experience in the operating room much more portable and teachable," he said. "When you get to a classroom environment and you want to talk about what this student may or may not have seen in the OR, they can see exactly the same thing when you play back a 3D recording for them. That makes our educational content much more relevant, and it has the same richness that you get in the OR." The benefits of the monitors extend beyond the viewing of an actual procedure, giving trainees and healthcare personnel the flexibility of on-demand training and access to recorded reference materials at their fingertips. "Recording is critically important for surgeon training. Prior to this technology, I could only give a verbal report of how a surgeon performed during an operation," said Magnuson. "As soon as the operation concluded, all of those explanations were just memories. There was nothing tangible to go back and refer to. Now our surgeons can access their videos on a flash drive. We can offer recommendations and skill exercises for improvement which, in the end, improves patient outcomes." Keeping technologically current not only helps Nicholson Center provide the most comprehensive training and education programs, it also helps them maintain a competitive edge. "We recognize that a client is sometimes going to choose another facility, but we don't ever want the reason for that to be that the other place has technology that we don't have," Smith said. "We always want people to come in here and say 'They have the best technology, they have the best tools, and I absolutely have to give my surgeons that experience,' or 'I want to use new tools in education, so I can only go to the Nicholson Center because nobody else can match that.' With Sony's technology integration of 4K/3D monitors and 3D recorders, we've done that." n Sony Healthcare Solutions is a trusted source in providing quality 2D, 3D and 4K medical solutions. Products range from video cameras and displays to recorders, and printers for medical applications, as well as HD, 3D, 4K and 4K 3D monitors for the OR and beyond. Long a leader in professional electronics, Sony has harnessed that same expertise to lead the way in medical visualization for over 30 years. For more information, visit www.sony.com/medical.