The surgical system has two components: the robot and the high-tech surgical console. The robot features four arms that are inserted through ports placed in the patient's body through incisions measuring only one half inch. Three can be fitted with a variety of instruments and one controls a high-definition, three-dimensional camera that transmits images to the console nearby.

The surgeon operates while seated at a console viewing a three-dimensional image of the surgical field. The surgeon's fingers grasp the master controls below the display. The system seamlessly translates the surgeon's hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.


"The EndoWrist® instruments that are part of the da Vinci® use cables that mimic the movement of human tendons to give the surgeon maximum responsiveness and a greater range of motion than the human hand," Dr. Bandera explains. "We can suture, dissect and manipulate tissue with great precision and speed."

Benefits for everyone
This method of surgery has benefits for both the surgeon and patient. For patients, the benefits, compared with surgery through a large abdominal incision, include:

-Shorter hospital stays
-Shorter recuperation periods overall
-Less pain
-Less blood loss and tissue trauma
-Fewer complications
-Less scarring

For the surgeon, robotic surgery is much more precise.

"The robot improves visualization with a three-dimensional picture and higher magnification," Dr. Bandera explains. "This allows us to view tissue planes and intricate anatomy, as compared with laparoscopic cameras which have two-dimensional views. In addition, the robot takes laparoscopic surgery to a whole new level by steadying the surgeon's hands, scaling movements and facilitating dexterity and flexibility with wristed instruments. Each robotic surgical instrument offers six degrees of freedom, allowing the surgeon to operate in confined anatomical locations."

Meeting a need
Women & Infants surgeons will use the da Vinci® surgical system to perform cancer surgery on women diagnosed with gynecologic malignancies, including endometrial and cervical cancer.

The robot's ability to operate in confined areas will make less-invasive surgery available to more women than traditional laparoscopic surgery. Women who are obese or have multiple adhesions from previous surgeries may be candidates for robotic surgery even when they are not candidates for laparoscopic surgery.

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