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TREAT WITH CARE
MINIMALLY INVASIVE
DaVinci SURGICAL ROBOT FOR
UROLOGICAL SURGERY
Over the years, surgical procedures have truly evolved, somewhat, but the way we perform those surgerieshasgreatlyevolved. The greatest change is how a surgeon gains access to a patient’s abdomen. Previously this may have required a large incision on a patient’s abdomen. The
advances in abdominal access began with laparoscopic instruments. The placement of the camera and instruments only require finger-tip sized incisions into the abdomen. These instruments were held by surgeons and resulted in significant improvement for patients with reduced pain and much
faster recoveries.
The next advancement was the develop- ment of a robot to stabilize and control those instruments. Robotic assisted surgery received FDA approval in 2000. Modern robots allow for 3-D vision, magnification and increased precision of instrument
movements. The robotic instruments allow the range of movements demon- strated by a human wrist.
The use of the robot for a surgical procedure, in most cases, allows for reduced blood loss and needfortransfusion. Additionally, patients experience an easier and faster recovery and are able to return to work sooner.
In the field of urological surgery, some of the procedures that can be performed with robot assist include removal of a cancerous prostate or kidneys. if anatomy allows, the robot allows for more precise removal
of only the cancerous portion of a kidney, leaving the remaining normal kidney in place. Many other urological procedures can be performed robotically. Areas of ongoing development include additional robotic instruments in various specialties. Devices to assist ease of procedural performance are also being developed.
In the near future; additional robotic surgical platforms are expected from multiple manufacturers. At Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC), We are fortunate to have the DaVinci Xi Surgical Robot, utilized by multiple surgical specialists which allows for the delivery of up-to-date surgical care to the
entire Ventura County community.
SURGERY Written By Dr. Scott Luttge
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