$1M surgical robot brings state-of-the-art precision to St. Mary's OR

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

Saint Mary's Health Care surgeons wanted a da Vinci surgical system (surgical robot) to enhance their minimally invasive surgical techniques. The problem was coming up with the million or so dollars to purchase the system.

Tom Fox, a local entrepreneur and philanthropist, wanted to give Saint Mary's some money.

"Mr. Fox came out of the blue," said Saint Mary's Health Care VP Micki Benz. "He met with staff and said, 'I want to give you a gift. A million dollars. Are you into robotics?' We were stunned."

Minimally invasive surgeries are often limited to prostate surgeries. With the da Vinci robot, Saint Mary's has added gynecological cancer surgeries and laparoscopic kidney transplants to the list of uses. Thoracic surgery will be added in the future.

The robot is controlled by the surgeon and the OR team, who are specially trained to use the equipment. The surgeon sits at an ergonomically designed console, views the surgical site through a 3-D viewer with digital zoom, and manipulates the robotic arms. Fingertip control of the articulating instruments, greater range of movement than the human wrist, and tremor reduction make the surgeon's movements extremely precise.

The da Vinci was installed in The Tom and Mickie Fox and Family Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robotics earlier this year. The first surgery using the robot was performed on February 15. About ten surgeries have been performed since then.

Patient benefits from minimally invasive surgery are numerous, including: incisions only 1 to 2 cm long, fewer stitches, faster healing, less risk of infection, less pain, and a reduction in the need for prescription drugs.

"This is the wave of the future," said Micki Benz. "If this trend grows, we might need to add another robot. Doctors will practice where the environment is suited to them, and this robot makes Saint Mary's very attractive to doctors."

Source: Micki Benz, Saint Mary's Health Care
www.smmmc.org
www.intuitivesurgical.com

Deborah Johnson Wood is the Development News Editor for Rapid Growth. She can be reached at [email protected].