Leonardo da Vinci was responsible for the invention of the first robot. Little did he know that several centuries after his death, his simple innovation would provide advancements in minimally invasive surgery. Robotic surgery is revolutionizing the surgical experience for both patients and their surgeons.
Patients can now turn to Saint Clare's for surgical procedures that help to improve patient outcomes and redefine today's standard of care. Saint Clare's has deployed the latest in robotics for minimally invasive surgery with the introduction of the $1.5 million da Vinci ® S Surgical System at Saint Clare's Hospital/Denville. This unique system, from the world's leading innovator of robotic surgery technology, couples advanced surgical instrumentation with 3-D visualization and ergonomic comfort and bring the future of surgery to Saint Clare's today.
How It Works
Over the past 20 years, there have been a number of revolutions in surgical techniques and technology. Many routine open-incision surgeries have been replaced with more minimally invasive techniques that provide a number of benefits to the patient. As the use of minimally invasive procedures has grown during the past two decades, the technology used in these procedures has improved to the level where only a few small incisions are needed. The application of robotics to minimally invasive surgery occurred in the late 1990s.
With the da Vinci Surgical System, the surgeon is seated at a console a few feet away from the patient, where they view an actual image of the surgery site while operating in real-time, through tiny incisions, with robotically-enhanced surgical instruments. At no time does the surgeon see a "manufactured" image of the surgery and the system cannot be programmed, make decisions on its own, move in any way, or perform any type of surgical maneuver without the surgeon's input.
The da Vinci system enables surgeons to be more precise through improving range of motion and dexterity, advancing their technique and enhancing their capability to perform complex, minimally invasive surgeries. The system replicates the surgeon's movements in real time, while providing enhanced vision of the surgical site, through the robot's high-resolution 3D view, and "force feedback" sensations, that give the surgeon a "feel" of the actual surgical site.
Patient Benefit
To date, tens of thousands of procedures have been performed worldwide using this advanced surgical technology, including those to address medical needs in areas like general surgery, urology, gynecology, and limited cardio-thoracic procedures. You can learn more about the use of the da Vinci system for prostate removal surgery by clicking here.
Some of the major benefits of the da Vinci Surgical System for patients include a shorter hospital stay, less pain, less risk of infection, less blood loss, fewer transfusions, less scarring, faster recovery and a quicker return to normal daily activities.
Do you need minimally invasive surgery? Check with your physician if robotic surgery is an alternative for you.
For more information on robotic surgery at Saint Clare's, call 973-983-5700.
Photos on this page are ©2007 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
