Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center opened its new neuroscience tower to patients July 10, introducing state-of-the-art facilities that will improve the institute's outstanding neurological and neurosurgical care.

The 430,000-square-foot tower offers 11 suites dedicated to neurosurgery, as well as 64 intensive-care beds and 80 acute-care beds for neurological and neurosurgical care.

Each of the surgical suites includes video-conferencing capabilities which will allow physicians and medical students from around the world to view operations. A large plasma screen located in the neurosurgery nurses' station will provide the neurosurgical team with a view of what is taking place in each operating room.

The tower also features the only 3-Tesla Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (IMRI) machine to be installed in a hospital, as well as two new MRIs. The IMRI is unusual in that it will be available to every surgical suite in the building.

St. Joseph's will also open a new emergency department and trauma center in September, doubling the size of its Level One Trauma Center, which treated 4,250 trauma patients last year.

The 48-bed emergency department will focus on treating patients with minor injuries in less than an hour.

"This is a jewel for the residents of Arizona and for the thousands of patients who will be treated here every year," said Dr. Robert Spetzler, director of Barrow Neurological Institute. "Our staff, physicians, donors, and supporters can all take individual pride in the roles they've played in creating this very special place, but this hospital belongs to our patients. My hope is that people will never have to visit, but if they do, they'll be guaranteed state-of-the-art care."

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For more information:

"Barrow adds to world-renowned reputation with state-of-the-art-facility," St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center press release, 07/07/2006

Barrow Neurological Institute