Surgical Services

Facilities

Central Maine Medical Center’s Surgical Services Department is comprised of 10 surgical suites and a Cystology Room. Two of the suites are dedicated to the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute’s (CMHVI) cardiothoracic and vascular surgery program. Another suite is used for trauma surgery and advanced laparoscopic surgery. (CMMC has been a statewide leader in integrating laparoscopic technology into the design of its surgical services facilities.)

Another surgical suite is often reserved for spinal surgeries performed by neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons. The remaining suites are used for general, otolaryngologic (ear, nose and throat), vascular, plastic, gynecological, and other orthopedic procedures. The Cystology Room was developed for urologic procedures and contains special x-ray equipment.

CMHVI’s operating suites are equipped with high-definition monitors that display images captured by cameras in the surgeon’s headlamp and in an overhead surgical light. These images help CMHVI’s cardiac surgeons better visualize their work. The CMHVI suites are also equipped with heart-lung machines used to sustain patients during cardiac surgery. These "smart ORs" are outfitted with special cabling, data connections, light booms, and display screens that can be upgraded to accommodate emerging technologies, including voice recognition and robotics.

CMMC’s surgical suites are located in a restricted area. Each suite is located next to a substerile room where instruments and equipment can be sterilized. Each suite is equipped with an airflow system that minimizes the chance of airborne contaminants compromising sterility. Many procedures done in CMMC’s surgical suites require specialized equipment, including microscopes, lasers, fiberoptic and video equipment, cautery units, irrigation systems, tourniquets, and specialized beds.

Patients who undergo surgery at CMMC are in skilled hands. The number of surgical or surgery-related specialists working at CMMC and its affiliated hospitals – Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital – now encompasses dozens of highly trained physicians whose practices range from anesthesia to vascular surgery. What draws these talented doctors to the area is CMMC itself: a regional referral center with a fine surgical services facility, critical care unit, medical imaging and laboratory support, and a broad range of primary and specialty care physicians.