Healthcare Industry is Thriving

North Central Florida has many healthcare options from hospitals and medical centers that are continually introducing new surgical devices and advanced treatment. This growing number of medical options has increased the rate of recovery and also improved the quality of life for patients. Below are some of the latest medical advances and technology in our community.

Neurologists and neurosurgeons at the University of Florida Health in Gainesville became the first in the United States to implant the SenSight™ system, a technically advanced deep brain stimulation (DBS), to specifically target motor symptoms for patients suffering from essential tremors, dystonia and Parkinson’s disease. Some

patients may have debilitating symptoms that even medications aren’t able to fully cure, but DBS can provide much-needed relief.

During surgery, thin electrical wires, known as leads, are implanted into specific areas of the brain. The wires are then connected to a pacemaker-like device that is implanted in the upper chest that delivers stimulation to the brain’s electrical system. A direction lead enables surgeons to generalize the electric current into specific areas of the brain where the tremors originate. After the surgery, patients normally have a six-month checkup to fine-tune the settings on the device. “Our research team is heavily invested in brain-sensing technology. We believe DBS systems capable of adjusting therapeutic stimulation in response to continuously recorded signals from the brain may result in better DBS,” said Kelly Foote MD, professor of neurosurgery in the UF College of Medicine’s Lilian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery, in a press release.

North Florida Regional Medical Center is the first hospital in North Central Florida to offer a minimally invasive robotic bronchoscopy for patients in need of lung nodule biopsies. This allows patients to have a diagnosis much earlier than previously available. Past procedures were done by inserting a needle through the chest into the lungs

Bronchsocopy technology

which was risky as lungs could collapse during that procedure. This robotic-assisted bronchoscopy is much safer as the tool uses a thin, maneuverable catheter with the ability to move 180 degrees in all directions. Physicians can easily navigate through the airways to reach nodules within the lungs. A computer-assisted navigation system helps to guide the catheter to the nodule. Previous procedures weren’t able to easily reach nodules on the outer edges of the lungs, but the robotic-assisted bronchoscopy lets surgeons reach distant areas.

Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction, also known as endobronchial valve lung volume reduction, is now available for patients suffering from severe emphysema, a form of chronic airway obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients

experiencing emphysema, a form of COPD, have diminished lung capacity and difficulty breathing due to damage in the lungs. The diseased portions of the lungs are enlarged which puts pressure on the healthy parts of the lungs causing shortness of breath and can impact a patient’s quality of life. In March 2021, Dr. Michael Jantz, an interventional pulmonologist from North Florida Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, led the first procedure at the hospital with help from a pulmonary care team. This procedure implants tiny devices in the airways of the lungs, acting as one-way valves. The valves block areas of the damaged lung, which then allows the patient to breathe more easily. “COPD is a debilitating disease that impacts millions of lives every year, and this procedure can have a profound

Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction, photo courtesy of Temple Health positive outcome for our patients suffering from the effects of severe emphysema,” said Dr. Jantz. “Knowing the significant improvements our patients experience through the use of the latest technology and techniques encourages us to continue to raise the bar to provide the highest level of quality care. We are proud to bring this revolutionary procedure to North Florida Regional to help our patients get back to the things they love most.”

The University of Florida Health researchers have performed the first-in-human procedure of the JuxtaFlow®, a renal negative pressure treatment device. The device is designed to assist in restoring kidney function as well as increase urine output in patients who have not had a successful response to diuretics. Currently, UF Health is working to enroll 10 patients in the trial. The JuxtaFlow® System implants urinary catheters and a vacuum pump that assists in balancing pressure in the kidneys to produce urine. Patients will receive monitored treatment for 24 hours once the device is implanted. After the device is removed patients will be observed for an additional month. Researchers hope this device will be a less invasive option for treating congestive heart failure patients that have reduced kidney function. The traditional treatment of dialysis is more invasive with the placement of a catheter in a blood vessel as well as extensive sessions to filter blood.

“This is a brand-new idea on how we can potentially treat these patients,” said Alex M. Parker, MD, an assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine’s division of cardiovascular medicine and principal investigator of the UF Health portion of the trial. “This could be an entirely new pathway for patients in the future. But first, we have to make sure it’s safe and effective. And that’s what this trial is testing.”

The University of Florida Health is now giving patients with eye cancer a chance to retain their sight with the Radioactive Iodine Plaque. Tiny particles (or seeds) of radioactive iodine are attached to a gold plaque about the size of a contact lens and implanted onto the surface of the eye targeting melanoma. After implantation, the device stays on the surface of the eye for four days releasing radiation to the cancer. Dr. Gibran S. Khurshid, associate professor at UF College of Medicine, began doing

Heart Normal vs Enlarged Heart, JuxtaFlow® System, photo courtesy of UF Health “This growing number of medical options has increased the rate of recovery and also improved the quality of life for patients.”

Eye Applicators

the procedure at the beginning of 2021. He uses a high-resolution ultrasound which collects exact tumor measurements on the eye. Recovery is quick from the procedure and patients have reported that their level of pain and eye dryness after the procedure varies. According to Dr. Khurshid, the therapy completes UF Health’s array of eye cancer treatment options, which include lasers and proton beam radiotherapy. He feels the plaques are effective as a first-line melanoma treatment and a companion therapy in conjunction with tumor-removal surgery.