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In less than a week, Holy Name Medical Center announced a first in New Jersey for blood pressure treatments and an innovative type of spine surgery. 

Treating high blood pressure 

The Teaneck-based health care provider announced April 5 it completed the first ultrasound renal denervation procedure in New Jersey. The minimally invasive outpatient treatment aims to significantly lower a patient’s blood pressure. 

Dr. Jaffar Raza, an interventional cardiologist at Holy Name, performed the procedure with the Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation (RDN) system.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the system by Palo Alto, Calif.-based Recor Medical Inc. in November 2023 for the treatment of hypertension. The option is for patients who have not adequately controlled their blood pressure through lifestyle changes or medications. 

According to Recor, the Paradise system is “first-of-its-kind ultrasound-based” technology that de-nerves the sympathetic nerves surrounding the renal arteries, reducing the overactivity that can lead to hypertension.  

“This is a significant milestone for Holy Name and our patients,” Raza said in a statement. “We are committed to offering the latest and most effective treatments to our patients, and the introduction of ultrasound renal denervation is a testament to our dedication to improving health outcomes in our community.”  

Spinal care

Holy Name also unveiled April 9 it is now one of only a few hospitals in the Garden State to offer robotic spinal fusion surgery by combining robotics with 3D intraoperative imaging. 

In June 2022, Englewood Health was the first in the state to offer Globus Medical’s ExcelsiusGPS, a system that combines a rigid robotic arm and full navigation capabilities into one platform for accurate alignment in surgery. 

Dr. Teja Karukonda performed Holy Name’s first surgery using the system. The tool can treat degenerative conditions in the neck and back, such as degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, arthritis (spondylosis) and spinal deformity.  

“The collaboration between the surgeon and the robot is transformative,” Karukonda said about the technology. “While the surgeon remains at the helm, the robotic assistance enhances precision, safety, and efficacy, leading to optimal patient outcomes.” 

Compared with conventional open surgery or other techniques, benefits of the robotic procedure include less time under anesthesia, a decrease in discomfort after surgery, faster recovery time and a reduced risk of complications, according to Holy Name. 

Using medical images taken the day of the surgery and uploaded to ExcelsiusGPS, surgeons determine the size and placement of implants and create a patient plan based for that individual. The plan is then used to guide the robotic arm to a specific region of the spine.

During the procedure, the surgical team has a constant display of instruments and implants on the device’s screens, allowing for more precise placements.