Biplane imaging is an advanced medical technology that uses two rotating cameras to generate highly detailed, real-time 3D models of blood vessels, organs, and tissues. This technology is a critical addition to the hospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, one of only eleven such certified centers among approximately 90 hospitals in LA County.
“This cutting-edge technology significantly augments our thrombectomy program, allowing us to perform critical procedures for stroke, pulmonary embolism, and other thrombotic events with unprecedented speed, precision, and safety,” explained Dr. Wled Wazni, Medical Director of the St. Mary Neuroscience Center. “This strategic investment reinforces our dedication to delivering the highest caliber of care when lives are literally at stake.” Thrombectomy is a minimally invasive surgery to remove blood clots from the arteries in the neck and brain.
St. Mary Medical Center’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. James Keany, added, “The dedication of our new biplane imaging suite reflects St. Mary Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to clinical excellence, advanced patient care, and improved outcomes for the communities we serve. This technology will help our teams deliver faster, more precise, and life-saving care for patients when every second matters.” The hospital receives about 30 stroke patients a month.
The new suite was dedicated to honor Dr. Harley Ralph Deere, who devoted more than 50 years to caring for patients in neighboring communities. Born in Woodland, CA, Dr. Deere served in the US Air Force as the only neurosurgeon in Europe from 1965-1967. He envisioned a comprehensive Neuroscience Center of Excellence at St. Mary Medical Center, a reality he embarked on making in 2006. His daughter, Lisa Johnson, now the program director of the Neuroscience Center, proudly shared, “My father performed his last neurosurgical case at age 80, retired at 85, and passed in 2022 at age 89.”
Highlighting the hospital’s overall commitment to quality, President / CEO Carolyn Caldwell reminded listeners that Dignity Health – St. Mary Medical Center recentlyachieved a Five-Star Quality Rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This is the highest possible designation and SMMC is the only acute care hospital in Long Beach to achieve this distinction.
The St. Mary Medical Center Foundation provided $3.9 million in funding for the biplane suite. Chief Philanthropy Officer Michael Neils commented, “Funding for this project represents a powerful testament to how philanthropy directly translates into advanced medical capabilities, ensuring that our patients receive the most advanced, compassionate care available.”