Leading Edge Robotic Surgery
Now Available at John Muir Health

Building on its Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery program, John Muir Health recently introduced the Intuitive Surgical® da Vinci™ robotic system. This remarkable technology allows surgeons to operate in an entirely new way. The robotic system is currently in use for chest, laparoscopic surgery and radical prostetectomy. Approval for cardiac surgery is expected soon. Clinical trials are already underway for a variety of heart procedures with this new technology.

The health system's first da Vinci Robotic System was installed at John Muir Medical Center, Concord Campus. The purchase of a second one is being considered for John Muir.

The da Vinci Robotic System uses three, two-foot-long robotic arms controlled by the surgeon who sits at a console several feet from the patient. A high-resolution viewing system provides 3-D images of the surgical field, with ten-fold magnification. The surgeon controls the robotic arms through a set of fingertip controls. A camera and instruments no larger than a pencil's diameter are introduced through tiny incisions into the patient's body.

The robotic arms position and precisely maneuver endoscopic instruments, an endoscope and a variety of articulating EndoWrist instruments. Any movements of the surgeon's hands, wrists and fingers on the instrument controllers are transmitted precisely to identical, yet smaller and finer movements of the instrument tips. The electronically-controlled miniature wrists can extend the surgeon's hand far beyond his or her ordinary capabilities. The surgeon can now reach around, beyond and behind delicate body structures previously inaccessible with other minimally invasive surgery equipment. Standard instrument tips include a needle driver for sutures, scissors and dissectors.

The major advantages of the da Vinci Robotic System for patients are minimal scarring, less pain, faster recovery, and significantly reduced infections or complications. Happier patients are able to return home much sooner, many as early as the second post-operative day.

Surgery is being revolutionized by the da Vinci system. John Muir Health surgeons are using it for a variety of urologic and gastrointestinal procedures. They also envision using it for heart bypass operations, valve replacements and repairs, and for the closing of septal defects. It is hoped that eventually, most open-heart surgeries can be done through minimally invasive techniques, thus avoiding division of the patient's breastbone.

(Posted September 13, 2002)