Clinical Innovations

Dr. Ari Kramer from the Medical Group of the Carolinas – Vascular Access Services – Spartanburg introduced the Ellipsys Vascular Access System to Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. This groundbreaking, minimally invasive technology promises enhanced outcomes for dialysis patients.

A pioneer in this domain, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System was among the first to adopt this innovation, with Dr. Kramer leading the charge. Notably, Spartanburg Medical Center ranks among four elite training hubs nationwide for this system.

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A new approach to caring for babies exposed to opioids is implementing a functional assessment of withdrawal symptoms and prioritizing fundamental infant soothing and feeding practices as effective techniques for treatment. The Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) approach provides an organized, systematic way of assessing an infant’s opioid withdrawal severity based on how well an infant can eat, sleep and be consoled. Practicing this approach has reduced hospital stay and the need for medications among infants. 

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The InSpace balloon implant is an innovative tissue-spacer system designed to restore motion and relieve the pain of a torn rotator cuff. A saline-filled balloon is placed in the shoulder using arthroscopic surgery. The 20-minute outpatient procedure offers patients rapid recovery and return to normal function. Dr. Gregory Colbath, orthopaedic surgeon at Medical Group of the Carolinas – Skylyn, was the first surgeon in South Carolina to use the InSpace implant.

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Gibbs Cancer Center was the first facility in the Carolinas, and one of the first cancer centers in the United States, to use the SpaceOAR® System for men undergoing prostate cancer radiation. SpaceOAR consists of a soft hydrogel that painlessly and temporarily moves the prostate away from the rectum. This allows direct delivery of radiation to the prostate while protecting the rectal area and reducing the potential for unwanted side effects. Daniel Fried, MD, PhD, medical director and radiation oncologist at Gibbs Cancer Center - Pelham, was the first trained and certified physician in the Carolinas to use SpaceOAR. As a result of Dr. Fried’s experience and expertise, Gibbs became the first SpaceOAR National Education & Resource Center in the United States.

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ECMO, or Extracorporeal (meaning “outside the body”) Membrane Oxygenation, is an advanced life support system that is used when conventional life-support systems, like a ventilator, aren’t enough. For patients at Spartanburg Medical Center who experience acute heart or lung failure, this game-changing device is now being used to breathe new life into their chances of survival. Dr. Ronald Figura is a cardiothoracic surgeon over ECMO services at Spartanburg Medical Center, and Jennifer Appling, BSN, RN-CCRN, is the interim ECMO coordinator at SMC.

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Gibbs Cancer Center at Pelham is the only facility in the Upstate to offer CyberKnife radiation therapy. The CyberKnife M6 is a noninvasive full-body, radiation system that uses advanced imaging and robotics to treat tumors with unrivaled precision. Daniel Fried, MD, PhD, is a radiation oncologist and the medical director of the CyberKnife facility at Gibbs Cancer Center – Pelham. The radiation oncologists at Gibbs use CyberKnife to treat malignant lesions, as well as benign conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia, meningioma, and acoustic neuromas. All conditions are treated in five sessions or less vs. weeks of traditional radiation.

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Spartanburg Regional orthopaedic surgeon Gregory Colbath, MD, provides his patients with a specially designed bag for the disposal of any unused painkillers. Dr. Colbath practices at Medical Group of the Carolinas – Orthopaedics – Skylyn. Created by a company called Deterra, the bags include a charcoal packet that, when mixed with warm water, breaks down and deactivates the medicine.

Learn more about the bags