daVinci® Robotic Surgery
The da Vinci® Surgical System provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy.
Benefits for Patients
Robotic-assisted surgery may offers several benefits for patients:
- faster recovery and return to normal daily living activities
- less blood loss and fewer transfusions
- less pain and scarring post-surgery
- lower risk of infection
- less time in the hospital than people who have traditional surgeries:
- With robotic hysterectomies (removal of the uterus), the patient's average hospital stay after surgery is reduced by nearly 60 percent.
- Robotic prostatectomies (removal of the prostate gland) may possibly reduce hospital stays by about one third, cut blood loss in half and reduce narcotics use by nearly 20 percent.
- Of robotic prostatectomy patients, 63 percent need only half the dose of narcotic pain medication.
Robotic-Assisted Surgery Services
Learn what services are overed through our Robotic-Assisted Surgery program.
How Does Robotic Surgery Work?
Working from a computer console, the surgeon makes dime-size incisions and guides the robotic arms with attached instruments and a tiny camera through the incisions. There is also an assistant surgeon, anesthesiologist and an operating room nurse by the patient's bed, along with the robotic equipment.
From the computer console, the surgeon looks through a camera that can magnify the organs and other structures inside the body by 10x. Most laparoscopic surgeries provide doctors with 4x magnification. The movement of the surgeon's fingers is transmitted (via the computer console) to the instrument tips on the other robotic arms, mimicking the movements of the surgeon's hands and wrists. This gives the doctor an ambidextrous capability and surgical precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will my insurance cover my surgery if it is robot assisted?
A: Once your insurance approves your surgery, it will be covered if your surgeon uses the robotic surgical system as well. The robot is simply a tool used by your surgeon to improve the outcome for your surgery.
Q: Why is the robot called the da Vinci® Surgical System?
A: The name "da Vinci" was chosen because Leonardo da Vinci invented the first robot. He was well known for using unparalleled anatomical accuracy and three-dimensional details to bring his masterpieces to life. The da Vinci® Surgical System provides surgeons with enhanced detail and simulates an open surgical environment while allowing operation through tiny incisions.
Q: Can the surgeon feel anything inside the patient's chest or abdomen while using the da Vinci® Surgical System?
A: Yes. The system relays force feedback sensations from the operative field back to the surgeon throughout the procedure. Force feedback provides a substitute for tactile sensation.
Q: Has the da Vinci® Surgical System been cleared by the FDA?
A: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the da Vinci® Surgical System for a wide range of procedures. Please see the FDA Clearance page for specific clearances and representative uses.
To find a surgeon at Northwest Medical Center who uses the da Vinci® Surgical System call 866-694-9355
- “ Typical results depend on many factors. Consult your physician about the benefits and risks of da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery for your condition.