Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics (TMFHC), already known as a national leader in patient satisfaction, now is pioneering procedures with technology found nowhere else in east Texas. In fact, only a few institutions in the world offer all of the technology innovations available at the new Center for Advanced Surgery and Technology (CASAT).

Our technology includes three revolutionary da Vinci ® robotic surgery systems; an Avanto MRI, providing image clarity 100 times better than previous MRIs; and two Stereotaxis magnetic-assisted catheterization labs.

CASAT is one of several U.S. sites performing multiple specialty robotic surgeries. Robotic surgical technology may be used for cardiac, prostate, gynecological and other general surgery procedures. Patient benefits include less pain, fewer side effects, faster recovery, shorter hospital stay and reduction in the size of the surgical incision.

One of the nation’s leading cardiac surgeons, William F. Turner, Jr., M.D., in Tyler, has performed more than 150 successful robot-assisted bypass procedures at CASAT. The Center offers training for physicians of different specialties from all over the United States on the da Vinci and Stereotaxis technology.

CASAT’s Stereotaxis labs offer tremendous benefits to cardiac patients with a minimally invasive procedure instead of traditional surgery. The Center is the first in the world with both single- and bi-plane configuration.

TMFHC was one of the first five medical institutions in the United States and the first in the state of Texas to install the new MAGNETOM Avanto MRI. This new MRI provides a quieter, quicker and more comfortable MRI experience for patients. It offers a 97 percent acoustic-noise reduction, without compromising image quality, and provides fast image acquisition with parallel imaging in all dimensions, including head-to-toe, front-to-back and side-to-side.

The Avanto can perform the full-body scan in about 12 to 15 minutes with just one positioning. For patients suffering from claustrophobia, the feet-first entry of the Avanto provides a more comfortable atmosphere. The Avanto also has a cardiac diagnostic application that has the ability to image coronary artery and cardiac valve abnormalities by non-invasive techniques.

CASAT has two new 64-slice high-speed CT scanners -- one especially dedicated to CT angiography for aid in early detection of heart disease. Images from the CT scanners can be reconstructed in 3-D for a more in depth look at the vessels of the heart. 

For more information about the CASAT at TMFHC, visit our Web site at http://www.tmfhc.org/ or call TMFHC TeleCARE at (800) 535-9799.