The Animal Medical Center in NYC Unveils New Hybrid Operating Suite

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York City unveils its new $3.5 million state-of-the-art surgical unit, The Katharine and William Rayner Interventional Radiology & Endoscopy Suite, the only one of its kind in the world, made possible through the Katharine Rayner Fund for The Animal Medical Center at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta as advised by Mr. and Mrs. William Rayner.

This revolutionary, hybrid operating suite, containing state- of- the-art, imaging and diagnostic equipment – which rivals advanced human hospital operating rooms – will allow The AMC interventional specialists to continue to perform revolutionary, innovative procedures and dramatically expand their expertise into pioneering new clinical research efforts.  

While Interventional Radiology and Interventional Endoscopy (IR/IE) are well established tools in human medicine, The AMC was the first and only veterinary facility in the country to harness the power of IR/IE diagnostic and therapeutic options by offering complete IR/IE services led by world-class, veterinary interventional experts, Drs. Chick Weisse and Allyson Berent.

The new Katharine and William Rayner Interventional Radiology & Endoscopy Suite was built to leverage the remarkable expertise and capabilities of Drs. Weisse and Berent in an effort to advance IR/IE in veterinary medicine to the next level – by refining procedures currently used in people, tailoring the tremendous potential of these techniques to treat serious pet illnesses and enabling human and veterinary doctors to collaborate at a level never before possible in order to provide human level care to veterinary patients.  Complete with in-room cameras, this fully-integrated surgical unit has the capability to project live to 50 hospitals across the country.  

"We are so deeply grateful to Katharine and William Rayner for their generous support and for their vision in helping The AMC take veterinary medicine to the next level," said Kathryn Coyne, CEO of The AMC. "We strive to be a national leader in animal care and it is essential that our facilities reflect that role.  The new Katharine and William Rayner Interventional Radiology and Endoscopy Suite  is another example of the cutting-edge technologies offered by The AMC in our continuous effort to provide exceptional, more advanced veterinary care and to significantly enhance The AMC's teaching and research programs," adds Coyne.

About IR/IE

Interventional Radiology combines minimally-invasive surgery with contemporary imaging techniques such as video x-rays or endoscopy to assist the veterinarian in guiding tiny instruments (such as needles, catheters and stents) to a designated area. IR/IE is used to treat cancer, diagnose and treat blood vessel abnormalities, open blocked urinary tracts, drain fluid from body cavities, and remove urinary stones. Both canine and feline patients benefit from IR because of smaller incisions, faster recovery times, and new options that were not previously available.

About The Animal Medical Center

The Animal Medical Center located on the Upper East Side in New York City is a non-profit veterinary center that has been a national leader in animal care since 1910. As an academic veterinary hospital, The AMC promotes the health and well-being of companion animals through advanced treatment, research and education. The AMC staff is comprised of over 90 veterinarians who utilize an interdisciplinary team approach combining expertise across specialty areas and services to care for your pet 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For more information about The AMC, please visit: http://www.amcny.org.

CONTACT: Barbara Ross, +1-201-236-1771, [email protected]

SOURCE The Animal Medical Center