Just in time for Digestive Disease Week 2013 in Orlando, Florida, Omega is proud to announce the completion of the installation of an e-View FP with Heavy Lift, 800lbs capacity table at Florida Hospital’s Center for Interventional Endoscopy.  The system is centrally located in Florida Hospital’s Orlando campus, and is just miles away from Omega Medical Imaging’s headquarters in Sanford, Florida.  The sale and installation was facilitated by Alpha Imaging.

Omega Medical Imaging is a Gold sponsor for the Florida Hospital 18^th Annual Advanced Endoscopy Course, happening immediately after the DDW 2013 exhibition.  This course will highlight live-cases performed on the Omega e-View FP, with a special breakfast session:  ERCP and Imaging – Optimizing Diagnosis; which will be presented by Dr. Nageshwar Reddy and Dr. Shyam Varadarajulu.

Omega Medical Imaging will be exhibiting in booth #1749 at the DDW meeting at the Orange County Convention Center from May 19^th to May 21^st in Orlando, FL.  On display will be our e-View FP, the only fluoroscopic imaging system dedicated to the needs of the interventional endoscopist and ERCP.

Late-Breaking Clinical Trials Session Presents Practice-Changing Data

Current practice guidelines typically recommend discontinuing oral anticoagulation with warfarin for patients undergoing cardiac procedures, but two studies from Thursday’s Late-Breaking Clinical Trials session suggest that patients may do better if warfarin therapy is continued.

Discontinuation of oral warfarin carries a 13-fold risk for periprocedural stroke and hemorrhagic complications following ablation for atrial fibrillation.

“There is an ominous association between atrial fibrillation, ablation and periprocedural stroke,” said Luigi Di Biase, MD, PhD, FHRS, St. David’s Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, Austin, Texas.

Click here to read more.

Today’s History Special Session Remembers Arrhythmia Pioneer

Gordon K. Moe, MD, PhD, and His Laboratory Have a Lasting Impact on Cardiac Electrophysiology

A History Special Session honoring Gordon K. Moe, MD, PhD, takes place at 12:15 – 1:15 p.m. today in Room 201.

Dr. Moe was the Director of Research of the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory from 1960-1984. He was involved in the birth of modern cardiac electrophysiology and is best known for his studies on the mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation.

Click here to read more.

Stem Cell-Based Cardiac Resynchronization
Satsuki Yamada, MD, PhD

Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis of the Relationship between Contact Force and Left Atrial Scar Formation after Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Christian Sohns, MD

Real-Time Positional Adjustment of Electroanatomical Models to Improve Spatial Perception and Catheter Localization
Steven Williams, MRCP

Low Entropy in the Sub-endocardial Scar Can Localize Ventricular Tachycardia Supporting Channels in Post-Infarct Ventricles
Sachin Nayyar, MD

A Novel Strategy for Mapping in Sinus Rhythm to Localize Ventricular Tachycardia Channels in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Sachin Nayyar, MD

Development of a Biomarker Panel to Predict Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Response: Results from the SMART-AV Trial
Francis Spinale, MD, PhD

Evaluation of the Fetal QT Interval Using Non-invasive Fetal ECG Technology
Alisa Niksch, MD

Mutations in a Neuronal Sodium Channel Responsible for a Large Fraction of Brugada Syndrome Cases
Dan Hu, MD, PhD

U-wave on ECG is Associated with Sudden Cardiac Death in General Population
Larisa Tereshchenko, MD, PhD

“We have recently created a new abstract category to showcase the latest innovative studies in the field of heart rhythm management. Novel devices, treatment strategies, gene evaluation and imaging techniques will all be showcased in these unique abstract sessions. This is a great opportunity to take a glimpse into the future of EP and see what the next big thing might just be.”
— John Day, MD, FHRS, Abstract Chair, Scientific Sessions Program Committee

Source: tristarpub.com; May 10, 2013.

Just a mere 12 days away, HRS 2013 will take place May 8-11, 2013 at the Denver Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO!

Building on years of tradition, Heart Rhythm 2013 will once again bring together the world’s most noted experts in cardiac rhythm management. Here, physicians, allied health care professionals, and scientists will network and explore the latest education and technology aimed at advancing this dynamic field and improving patient care.

Maximize your conference experience:

• More than 250 sessions available
• Meet 900 world-renowned heart rhythm experts
• Network with thousands of physicians, scientists, allied professionals, and industry leaders

Omega Medical Imaging will be exhibiting in booth #1830, presenting information about our High Resolution Flat Panel EP Lab with 56” 8MP EIZO Large Display System, as well as offering department managers and physicians a view on how to maximize your return on investment using Omega Medical Imaging’s new EP labs, refurbished products and upgrades.  With budgets tightening, hospital consolidation occurring and an increase in newly insured patients, Omega has the answers to help save your facility hundreds of thousands of dollars, without sacrificing patient care.

Avoid the lines, and register to meet with us today!

Omega Medical Imaging is proud to announce the Gold Sponsorship of the 18^th Annual Advanced Endoscopy Update, May 21^st to 23^rd in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The Advanced Endoscopy Update will have live case demonstrations performed on an Omega e-View FP transmitted from Florida Hospital Orlando new Center for Interventional Endoscopy.  Course directors and faculty will provide a complete update of gastrointestinal endoscopy, including practical how-to approaches to both common and complex procedures as well as a discussion of emerging and cutting-edge techniques and technologies. Experts will summarize in capsule format new findings related to endoscopy that will be presented at DDW 2013. There will be several succinct lectures followed by a lively panel discussion. Endoscopy procedures performed by international “super-stars” will be transmitted LIVE from Florida Hospital. There will be special, small-group break-outs with the “Masters,” where attendees can participate in more in-depth discussions with the experts on topics of interest.

Click here to download the official AEU Brochure, or visit the Florida Hospital Center for Interventional Endoscopy website for more information.

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The US and global population is getting heavier, and according to the World Health Organization, worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980. With the upsurge in the obese population and bariatric surgeries that hospitals have experienced in the last 18 months, equipment manufacturers like Omega Medical Imaging have started redesigning and catering to the needs of the expanding population of these patients, and the facilities that serve them.

Our new extra-wide, bariatric heavy lift table is was designed from the ground up to help serve these patients. Our table capacity blew through our initial estimates of 700 lbs, and is now certified for 800 lbs! So how does a table get a certification for a specific weight capacity? Part of the testing for weight capacity requires the table to overcome four (4) times the amount being tested for; at 800 lbs, the heavy lift table was able to withstand 3200 lbs!

Does your facility have the necessary imaging equipment to serve the bariatric population? How do you handle obese patients and the procedures they require? If you are performing any advanced endoscopic procedures, pain management, or arthroscopies on this patient population, Omega Medical Imaging is here to help!

Note: Omega Medical Imaging’s heavy lift table is designed for a patient weight capacity of 800 lbs. Testing was done at Omega Medical Imaging’s factory under strict supervision with proper safety precautions in place.

Disproportionate reports of left-sided brain tumors in interventional physicians with sustained practices involving radiation may suggest a causal relation to occupational radiation exposure, according to study data published in the American Journal of Cardiology.

Following up on their report of nine recent cases of brain cancer in interventional cardiologists, researchers received 22 more cases from around the world.

Researchers tracked the physicians’ ages, sex, tumor types, sides involved, specialties (cardiologist vs. radiologist) and number of years in practice, based on medical records and interviews with the physicians’ patients or family.

There were 23 interventional cardiologists, two electrophysiologists and six interventional radiologists, all of whom had worked in an interventional practice with exposure to radiation. For the 26 whom career duration was known, the latency period spanned from 12 years to 32 years (mean, 23.5 ± 5.9).

There were 17 cases (55%) of glioblastoma multiforme, five meningiomas (16%) and two astrocytomas (7%). Data were available regarding the side of the brain involved in 26 operators: 22 were left-sided (85%), three right-sided and one midline in an interventional cardiologist who had performed most cases using the Sones technique, in which the head is typically centered closest to the X-ray source.

According to Ariel Roguin, MD, PhD, study investigator with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, since the publication of the paper, there has been an additional report of a left-sided astrocytoma in a 52-year-old pediatric electrophysiologist physician, making the total 32 cases.

“It is difficult to prove that the incidence of brain tumors is higher because of the ionizing radiation than in the general population. But the left-side involvement is statistically significant,” Roguin told Cardiology Today’s Intervention. “

Omega Medical Imaging provides effective solutions for reducing the amount of scatter radiation that is seen during interventional procedures. While this study focuses in on interventional radiology and cardiology, many other cases such as interventional endoscopy (ERCP) and bronchoscopy utilize ionizing radiation such as fluoroscopy, which can lead to the same issues highlighted in the study.  In the cardiac and electrophysiology space, Omega offers a full line of ceiling suspended shielding as well as table-mounted shields, to help minimize the scatter radiation to the physicians and staff in the room.  With our e-View systems, the radiation is shielded from around the table and the image receptor, greatly eliminating scatter radiation during therapeutic endoscopy procedures.

Join the world’s largest gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. at Digestive Disease Week^®!

Digestive Disease Week^®, 2013 serves as a great opportunity for both physicians and researchers; the DDW will showcase thousands of abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology.

Digestive Disease Week^® takes place May 18^th-21^st in the beautiful city of Orlando, FL, with a predicted 15,000+ physicians and researchers from all over the world expected to attend.

Omega Medical Imaging will be featuring the e-View FP flat panel GI/ERCP imaging system at booth 1749! The e-view FP is the only system on the market completely dedicated to facilitating ERCP and other interventional endoscopy procedures.  Featuring an open ‘C’ platform for easy patient accessibility, high resolution fluoroscopic imaging system, 500 lbs capacity 10-way motorized table, and scatter radiation shielding that greatly reduces physician and staff X-ray exposure, the e-View FP is your choice for ERCP imaging.

DDW is jointly sponsored by four societies:

• The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
• The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)
• The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)
• The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT)

What are the benefits of attending?

• Learn about new developments in your field. Review the latest and best basic, translational, and clinical research in gastroenterology, liver disease, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
• Attend high-quality educational programs. Choose from over 400 sessions, including clinical and research symposia, state-of-the-art lectures and research and topic fora, covering a wide array of topics and presented by a world-renowned faculty unsurpassed in their field.
• Network with colleagues. Partake in an array of networking and social opportunities to meet fellow digestive disease specialists from around the globe.
• Try new products. DDW’s exhibit hall hosts hundreds of companies showcasing the latest GI products and services.

Source: www.ddw.org.

With Spring approaching, it’s time to look ahead at the events Omega Medical Imaging will be exhibiting at this season. First up is The Heart Rhythm Society’s 34th Annual Scientific Sessions, celebrating the history of the cardiac arrhythmia field and how the science, discovery, and innovation of the past and present are shaping our future.

Taking place in the the beautiful city of Denver, the heart of Colorado, the 34th Annual Scientific Sessions run from May 8th thru the 11th.. Kicking off the whole event with the keynote address will be former US president, Bill Clinton, taking place at the Opening Plenary Session at Heart Rhythm 2013.

More than 900 of the world’s most noted experts in cardiac rhythm management will present more than 250 educational sessions showcasing the latest science, discovery, and innovation. These sessions will represent all aspects of pacing, defibrillation, clinical arrhythmia management, ablation, pharmacology, genetics, basic science, and health policy. With many of these programs running simultaneously, Heart Rhythm 2013 organizers have released a new program to help navigate the event—attendees can now organize and plan their own specialized and personalized itinerary for the event here!

Omega Medical Imaging will be exhibiting at booth #1830, to learn more about our High Resolution Flat Panel EP Lab with 56” 8MP EIZO Large Display System.

From inception, Omega Medical Imaging has been your source for dedicated Cardiac Electrophysiology systems.  At HRS 2013, Omega continues our tradition of providing the Cardiac EP market a robust, low-cost, full featured EP lab, equipped with 20cm x 20cm flat-panel detector, high heat capacity x-ray tube, and the EIZO 56” 8MP display capable of outputting anywhere from 8 to 21 inputs, all configured at your fingertips.

As a certified nationwide EIZO partner, Omega offers EIZO’s complete spectrum of RadiForce medical monitor solutions that deliver exceptional accurate and stable image display at leading hospitals around the world. Omega can customize Large Display, Video Management, Monitor Booms & Stands to meet your requirements. Omega Medical Imaging is capable of retrofitting and upgrading your existing Cardiac Cath Labs and EP Labs that are using individual monitors as well, at a greatly reduced cost from acquisition to downtime.

Source: www.hrsonline.org.

Omega Medical Imaging Dealer Meeting Attendees

From February 26^th to the 28^th, Omega Medical Imaging hosted its annual dealer meeting in sunny Lake Mary, Florida.  The annual event drew Omega dealers from all across the country, including dealerships from as far New England, Seattle, and California.  The meeting included guest speakers from Space Coast Applications, EIZO NANAO, and De Lage Landen Financial; meeting topics covered procedures that can be performed with Omega Medical Imaging ERCP and EP systems; reviewing current market conditions; and a hands-on training at Omega Medical Imaging’s factory.

Dealers focused on the presentations

Overall satisfaction from the dealers attending was very high, with the surveys received at the conclusion of the meeting having extremely high marks in organization and subject matter.  Mary Ann Flannery of EP Radiological Services, a new dealer for Omega Medical Imaging, stated “…presentations on products was exactly what I was hoping to get…”; while another dealer indicated on their survey:  “Best Omega meeting that I have attended…”

Mark Ray, Director of Engineering and Service, demonstrates the functionality of the e-View

Omega Medical Imaging is proud to have these dealers as members of its team.  Boris Geyzer, Director of Sales and Marketing:  “Our dealers represent the best of the best in the imaging market.  Their dedication to providing outstanding value to their customers shows in the overall satisfaction and large customer bases.  We are honored and humbled by their dedication to Omega Medical Imaging and look forward to our continued success.”

Omega Medical Imaging designs, manufactures and markets high-end fluoroscopic imaging fixed c-arm systems designed specifically for Cardiac Electrophysiology, Therapeutic Endoscopy (ERCP) and Bariatric Surgery.  Contact Us today to learn more.

Birmingham VA Medical Center is the First VA Facility with Omega Medical Imaging’s e-View system in Gastroenterology

Alpha Imaging proudly serves the Radiology needs of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities through product lines such as Shimadzu Medical Systems and Hologic Women’s Health solutions.  Recently, this relationship has extended into the Gastroenterology department through the unique e-VIEW fluoroscopic X-ray imaging solution from Omega Medical Imaging.  Designed and manufactured in the United States, the e-View is the only X-ray system specifically engineered for gastrointestinal (GI), ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) and image-guided endoscopic procedures.

“The e-VIEW has been a phenomenal addition to our department,” said Jessica Trevino, M.D., Director of Advanced Endoscopy at the Birmingham VA Medical Center.  “The team at Alpha Imaging supported us at every step in the project – from initial concept to architectural planning to clinical training and on-going support.  They’ve enabled us to deliver a higher level of care to our Gastroenterology patients.”

Patients at the Birmingham VA are the primary beneficiaries from having an Omega e-View solution in the GI department.  “Because the system is dedicated to our department, we can make sure everything we need for a procedure is readily-available.  The suite is fully-customized to our needs.  All of our supplies and tools are conveniently located,” said Dr. Trevino.  “If we were performing a procedure in another department and needed additional supplies, we may have to delay the procedure, which could be unsafe for the patient.  The efficiencies we’ve gained by having our own imaging equipment translate into better patient care.”

Patient and physician safety was a key design objective for the Omega e-View.   Features like the removable lead shielding around the table and detector reduce X-ray scatter radiation to the operating staff.  “The e-VIEW is clearly the result of a thoughtful design.  They’ve taken into consideration each aspect of a procedure to ensure patient safety and comfort,” said Dr. Trevino.  “Details like a patient stepstool and straps may seem small, but having worked on systems without them, you realize just how important they are.”  The Omega e-View also includes a 500 lb. capacity extra-wide table top to ensure comfortable and secure patient positioning.

The long-term success of a dedicated fluoroscopy suite in Gastroenterology can be enhanced through a strong collaboration with the Radiology department.  “As a radiation dose-conscious organization, it’s important to leverage the experience of our colleagues in Radiology to ensure the highest levels of patient safety.  Our Radiology team is very involved with the imaging operation in GI.  They attend cases and even help document radiation exposure to patients and staff.”

Patients at the Birmingham VA Medical Center also realize the benefits of e-View’s seamless integration with the VA’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system.  “Knowing the fluoroscopy system integrates with our EMR allows us to simply focus on providing the best care possible for each patient.  It’s one less thing to concern ourselves with before, during or after a case,” said Michael Passarella, M.D., Chief of Gastroenterology at the Birmingham VA Medical Center.  Image-guided procedures performed in Gastroenterology are ordered and documented in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS).  This award-winning client-server interface ensures consistent and accurate maintenance of patient health records.

When asked how likely she would be on a scale of one to 10 (10 being most likely) to recommend Alpha Imaging and the Omega e-View solution to a colleague, Dr. Trevino replied “10, since I already have.  A former colleague is planning an e-View suite at his facility.”

About Birmingham VA Medical Center
The Birmingham VA Medical Center is a 313-bed acute tertiary care facility located in the historic Southside district of Birmingham, AL.  The facility provides acute tertiary medical and surgical care to veterans of Alabama and surrounding states.  They provide health care services to eligible veterans in the VA Southeast Network Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 7).

The medical center serves as a referral center for this population area with 136 operating beds currently. Recent construction provides state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in all clinical programs.  Care is provided in practically all medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties.  Most staff physicians have joint appointments with VA and its primary affiliation, University of Alabama at Birmingham.  The Birmingham VAMC operates eight Community Based Outpatient Clinics in North Alabama.

Click here to learn more.

Source: www.alpha-imaging.com; February 1, 2013.