A new operating room is opening at Cape Fear Hospital to accommodate the increasing demand for orthopedic surgery, according to hospital officials.

The addition of the new room means patients will be able to schedule surgeries sooner, according to a press release.

“We have seen a growing need in the community for our orthopedic services,” said Jack Barto, president and CEO of New Hanover Regional Medical Center in the release.

“In response to that need, we’ve grown our team of highly-trained providers and now have added more space to accommodate the increasing number of surgeries we perform each year.”

The additional room is the eighth operating room at Cape Fear Hospital.

Formerly the post-anesthesia care unit, or PACU, the space was renovated and reconfigured. The new room also includes upgraded nurse documentation stations and overhead monitors, according to the release.

Earlier this summer, Cape Fear Hospital introduced its new PACU, which was moved into a new space to make room for the additional OR.