CANANDAIGUA – An interdisciplinary team that brought new surgical technology into the hospital was honored by UR Medicine Thompson Health recently as the health system’s 2021 Do It Group (DIG) of the Year.
Headed by Operating Room schedulers Kim Hyde and Melanie Ferrin-Morey, the group formed in 2019 to investigate how acquiring Savi Scout® radar localization technology could benefit women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
Traditional wire localization of a tumor involves a wire sticking out of the breast, often for several hours prior to surgery. The surgeon then follows the wire and removes the tumor.
Instead of wires, Savi Scout® uses a reflector that is approximately the size of a grain of rice. It is not visible externally, and placement does not restrict movement. The technology then guides the surgeon to the precise site of the tumor, increasing the likelihood of complete tumor removal. In addition, making a smaller incision and limiting the removal of healthy breast tissue can result in optimal cosmetic results.
Following the DIG’s research, its work with various hospital departments and its education of staff, the first Savi Scout® procedure at Thompson was done in late January of 2021. By the end of the year, more than 50 patients had benefitted from Savi Scout at Thompson, which was the first hospital of its size in western New York to offer the technology.