Operating Room (OR) - Surgery

Community Memorial Healthcare (CMH) offers a wide range of Surgical Services, including general surgery, endoscopy, urology, ophthalmology, obstetrics, orthopedics, ear, nose and throat, podiatry, and pain management services. Post anesthesia care unit (PACU) services are also a part of the Surgical Department.

Our modern operating rooms are available 24 hours a day to provide care for both scheduled and emergency cases. The operating room (OR) crew at CMH is comprised of a variety of professionals with many years of experience in the operating room:

     * Cindy Voet, RN, OR Supervisor
     * Ashley Bruna, RN
     * Haley Bruna, RN
     * Renae Bruna, RN
     * Tonja Metcalf, RN
     * Mike Stech, CRNA, Nurse Anesthetist
     * Lynn Jones, Central Service Technician
     * Cheryl Rice, MD, General Surgeon


Our surgery nurses are Advanced Cardiac Life Support certified. The priority of each member of the OR team is to be the patient's advocate, especially concerning areas of safety and infection control.

Surgeons at CMH are assisted by members of the OR team during all procedures by circulating and scrubbing. The team also evaluates patients prior to the case, assists anesthesia during inductions, and monitors the patient during recovery in either the post surgery or post endo rooms. The OR staff is responsible for scheduling, and for ensuring that all necessary supplies and equipment are available for procedures being done.

The Central Service Technician assists by cleaning, processing and sterilizing instruments and scopes following national standards. They also clean and sterilize instruments for other hospital departments and physician clinics.

Anesthesia services are provided by our Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. They provide care 24 hours a day. Anesthesia services include all surgeries and scopes, obstetric anesthesia, epidural steroid injections for pain management and emergencies in the ER.

Through the efforts of our CMH Foundation, our facility owns state-of-the-art surgical equipment, equal to or surpassing other operating rooms. We are continually reviewing our equipment needs.

Surgical procedures performed at CMH:

Endoscopic procedures (bronchoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and colonoscopy)
General surgical procedures (hernia repairs, bowel resections, breast biopsy, mastectomy, lumpectomy, skin lesion removal (cancerous or non-cancerous), skin grafts, and numerous laparoscopic procedures including cholecystectomy, appendectomy, colon resection, and hernia repair)
Urological procedures including transurethral resection of the prostate and cystoscopy for bladder tumor excision
Gynecological procedures (tubal ligation, cesarean section, and dilation and curettage of uterus (D&C))
Orthopedic procedures (total knee or hip replacement and revisions, ACL reconstruction, knee or shoulder arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair, carpal tunnel and trigger finger releases, and other procedures on the extremities)
Cataract surgery
Cardioversions, and transesophageal echocardiograms
ENT procedures (ear tube placement, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T & A), and nasal surgeries)
Podiatry procedures (bunion excision and repair, and other surgeries on the feet)
Epidural steroid injections scheduled monthly with Dr. Bixenmann, neurologist