The thought of a lengthy recovery with time spent away from family, work, and other activities can make anyone feel anxious about undergoing surgery. However, a breakthrough in medical technology now provides a minimally invasive alternative to both open and laparoscopic procedures with a focus on getting patients back to their lives as quickly and painlessly as possible.
ABOUT THE DA VINCI SYSTEM
The da Vinci® Surgical System has changed the way minimally invasive surgery is performed. In 2000, it became the first robotic surgical system cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for general laparoscopic surgery, and in the years preceding its implementation, it was also approved for some of the most complex surgeries, including cardiac, urologic, and gynecologic procedures.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
When minimally invasive techniques were first being explored approximately 20 years ago, doctors were searching for ways to reduce some of the risks associated with traditional laparoscopic and open procedures.
“Prior to da Vinci’s® introduction at Crittenton, many surgeries were still being performed as open procedures,” says Douglas Pugmire, DO, Gynecologic Oncologist and Medical Director for Robotic Surgery at Crittenton. “Because of the invasive nature of open procedures and the increased risk of infection associated with them, we began to explore ways in which the da Vinci Surgical System could help eliminate some of those risks.” By making a commitment to perform and study robotic surgery, surgeons at Crittenton have been able to transform some of the most complex open procedures in a range of surgical specialties to minimally invasive surgeries.
Benefits of surgery using the da Vinci system include:
• Faster recovery
• Less blood loss
• Lower risk of infection
• Minimal scarring and improved cosmetic healing
• Reduced pain following surgery
• Shorter hospital stay
• Smaller incisions
HOW IT WORKS
When hearing the phrase “robotic-assisted surgery,” people may conjure images in which a surgeon has little control over the procedure being performed. In reality, the da Vinci system gives surgeons more precision and greater control than ever before.
From the da Vinci’s console, surgeons are able to perform operations while seated in front of a three-dimensional image of the surgical area on a monitor. Below the screen, master controls are naturally aligned with the surgeon’s hands and wrists relative to his or her direct line of vision. These features allow the surgeon to seamlessly translate movements from the console into real-time movements of the surgical instruments being used to operate on the patient.
“The da Vinci eliminates much of the mental and physical fatigue that can result during many open procedures,” Dr. Pugmire says. “This is just one example of the many ways in which the da Vinci technology helps us fulfill our mission of providing the best possible patient outcomes.”
New Options for Women
For women facing gynecological surgery, the pain and discomfort associated with procedures like radical hysterectomy can be
signi cant. However, with the da Vinci® Surgical System, surgeons at Crittenton Hospital Medical Center are now able to offer patients a less invasive approach to many gynecological procedures, minimizing the recovery period.
Just a few conditions that can be treated using the da Vinci system are:
• Cervical cancer
• Endometriosis
• Menorrhagia
• Uterine cancer
• Uterine fibroids
• Uterine prolapsed
“The da Vinci system has allowed me to use minimally invasive techniques to perform procedures that normally would be more complex,” says Douglas Pugmire, DO, Gynecologic Oncologist and Medical Director for Robotic Surgery at Crittenton. “An indispensable asset to the community, the da Vinci system has truly changed the way we perform surgery at Crittenton.”
