Philips Korea, EUMC and EUMC Aorta and Vascular Hospital sign MOU to establish ‘Center of Excellence’ for Aortic and Vascular Treatment

Seoul, Republic of Korea – Philips Korea, a leader in health technology (Country Leader Nak-hoon Choi, www.philips.co.kr) announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital (Director Woong Ju) and Ewha Aortic and Vascular Hospital (Director Suk-won Song), and has selected Ewha Aortic and Vascular Hospital as a global “Center of Excellence” in the treatment of aortic and vascular diseases based on its hybrid operating room.

Aortic conditions are often life-threatening, requiring fast, accurate diagnosis and intervention. With the increasing complexity of vascular procedures, the demand for cutting-edge interventional imaging and hybrid operating environments is growing rapidly. This MOU underscores a shared commitment to improving patient outcomes through clinical excellence, innovation, and collaboration.

EUMC Aorta and Vascular Hospital has enhanced its surgical capabilities for aortic disease treatment by adding Philips’ Azurion 7M20 FlexArm to the existing Azurion 7B20/15 Biplane system. It has established a hybrid operating room that integrates two state-of-the-art Philips systems—Azurion 7B20/15 Biplane and Azurion 7M20 FlexArm—with a surgical table and centralized control room, setting a new global standard for hybrid vascular procedures. This marks the first case worldwide where such an advanced hybrid surgical infrastructure has been built with Philips systems.

Through this agreement, the two institutions will collaborate on △ exchange of knowledge in clinical and academic fields △ cooperation on diagnostic and treatment methods using Philips Azurion △ providing opportunities to observe and research Philips technologies applied in real medical settings △ development of local healthcare services.

The signing ceremony was held on June 10 at EUMC Aorta and Vascular Hospital and was attended by Jesse Damstra, Head of Growth Region for Image Guided Therapy Systems, Philips; Nak-hoon Choi, Philips Korea Country leader; Joon-ho Park, Head of Image Diagnostics and Image Guided Therapy; Woong Ju, Director of EUMC; Suk-won Song, Director of EUMC Aorta and Vascular Hospital; and others.

Jesse Damstra, Head of Growth Region for Image Guided Therapy Systems, Philips, said “This milestone reflects our long-standing commitment to advancing minimally invasive procedures and supporting clinicians with the tools they need to improve outcomes.” She added, “By partnering with EUMC Aorta and Vascular Hospital, we’re helping to set a new standard of care in the region—one that combines clinical precision with operational efficiency.”

Nak-hoon Choi, Philips Korea Country Leader said, “Philips brings extensive experience in delivering interventional imaging and integrated solutions tailored to various hospital environments through patient-centered innovation. We will continue to partner with domestic medical institutions, enhancing efficiency and precision in clinical care through advanced technology.”

Suk-won Song, Director of EUMC Aorta and Vascular Hospital said, “Given the importance of accurate diagnosis and timely treatment decisions in aortic diseases, the establishment of the hybrid operating room marks a turning point in patient care.” He added, “Equipped with Philips’ latest imaging technology, this system is expected to serve as a key foundation for improving the accuracy and efficiency of treatment. Moving forward, we will continue to lead patient-centric precision treatment in collaboration with Philips.”

The newly introduced Philips “Azurion 7M20 FlexArm” is a device optimized for hybrid operating rooms, as it allows the C-arm to rotate up to 270 degrees, enabling free movement from side to side around the patient table. With a controller that can precisely manipulate eight parts of the equipment, it allows for more convenient visualization of the patient's entire body. Its flexible structure supports efficient procedures in various treatment environments, enhancing the operational efficiency of medical staff. In particular, the ‘Smart Workflow’ feature based on AI technology, automates the entire process from image acquisition to analysis and reporting, contributing to an overall improvement in procedure speed.