By Brenna Angel
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-946563.mp3
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Chandler Hospital officials announced Wednesday a $35 million project to build nine new operating rooms, one of them being a hybrid OR. The specialized space is for the sickest patients who need very complex surgery.
While designing the operating rooms, surgeon-in-chief Dr. Jay Zwischenberger says a life size Styrofoam mock-up was constructed on the second floor of the new hospital.
"We had every surgeon that's going to work in that room come in and walk around and act as if they were doing a procedure and go through the motions. And you won't believe how many times we banged into cabinets or bumped up against a table that we thought on a blueprint looked perfect."
Zwischenberger predicts the new operating rooms, scheduled to open this fall, will attract patients from across the Commonwealth and out of state.
Officials say the project is completely funded by UK Healthcare and does not use state or federal dollars.