Surgeon uses combined techniques at Phelps

Northwell Health has announced that surgeon Alice M. Police is director of breast surgery for its Westchester region, seeing patients at its Phelps and Northern Westchester hospitals.

Police uses a combination of three surgical technologies designed to produce a higher likelihood of not leaving behind cancer cells at the outer edge or margin, of tissue that is removed during surgery. 

A surgical guidance system called SAVI Scout is the first-ever application of radar technology in the human body to make the surgery more precise so that less healthy tissue is removed.

Also used is a probe that allows the surgeon to assess immediately whether the margins are clear while the patient is still in the operating room.

Lastly, intraoperative radiation therapy is used when appropriate. With IORT, patients may receive one radiation treatment during the surgery that can potentially prevent the need for six weeks of follow-up radiation therapy.

“A patient can literally have breast cancer one week and not (have it) by the following week,” said Police. 

Northwell Health has announced that surgeon Alice M. Police is director of breast surgery for its Westchester region, seeing patients at its Phelps and Northern Westchester hospitals.

Police uses a combination of three surgical technologies designed to produce a higher likelihood of not leaving behind cancer cells at the outer edge or margin, of tissue that is removed during surgery. 

A surgical guidance system called SAVI Scout is the first-ever application of radar technology in the human body to make the surgery more precise so that less healthy tissue is removed.

Also used is a probe that allows the surgeon to assess immediately whether the margins are clear while the patient is still in the operating room.

Lastly, intraoperative radiation therapy is used when appropriate. With IORT, patients may receive one radiation treatment during the surgery that can potentially prevent the need for six weeks of follow-up radiation therapy.

“A patient can literally have breast cancer one week and not (have it) by the following week,” said Police.