Written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
It looks like something out of a science fiction film: a three-armed, six-foot tall, 1,400 pound robot with three-dimensional vision, forceps, needle drivers and cautery instruments that act as hands. Capable of performing delicate, extraordinarily precise procedures deep within the body using miniature instruments and 10 times magnification, the da Vinci ® Surgical System is the next generation of minimally invasive surgery. The robotic surgery platform is where imagination meets reality.
Robotic surgeries are becoming the norm in many specialties. As more research became available, surgeons in urology, gynecology and other divisions have found its benefits. While cardiology was once the premier specialty for using the robot, today, more than 80% of robotic surgeries are urological or gynecological, according to SIU urologist Dr. Bradley Schwartz.
While it is called a “robot,” it’s not an independent machine – it requires the finesse of a skilled surgeon. (Read more here about how SIU trains surgeons in robotic surgery skills.)The surgeon sits at a console approximately three feet from the patient where s/he can see inside the patient by way of a camera using 3-D imaging. Directly below the console’s viewfinder are thumb, index and middle finger controls that enable the surgeon to transcend human physical limits by providing a greater range of motion and more precision and stability. The controls move the robotic surgical tools set inside the patient.
While the benefits of robotic surgery to patients abound – less blood loss, the potential for a faster recovery and the need for fewer pain medications – the robot isn’t always the best choice. “For urology and gynecological oncology, the proof of benefit is there – patients leave with better outcomes and it’s smart from an economic standpoint. But for benign gynecology and other procedures, we’re still teasing out the best uses for the robot,” explains SIU gynecologist Dr. Erica Nelson.
At hospitals throughout central and southern Illinois, the da Vinci® Surgical System is available to SIU surgeons. Springfield is home to several surgical robots. Locally, SIU surgeons perform procedures in gynecology, gynecologic oncology, urology, colorectal surgery and general surgery. At Memorial, SIU School of Medicine surgeons also perform ear, nose and throat robotic surgeries.
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