The next generation of robotic computer technology, the da Vinci S™ Surgical System, has arrived at Bryn Mawr Hospital. The system will allow surgeons to perform delicate minimally invasive surgical procedures. The advantages to patients are faster recovery, less pain and shorter hospital stays.

The da Vinci® System provides breakthrough capabilities that allow surgeons to perform complex procedures with greater precision through tiny incisions. Robotic-assisted visualization, dexterity, precision and control can enable your surgeon to perform a wide array of surgical procedures through 1-2 cm incisions while achieving equal or better clinical outcomes.

During surgery, the surgeon sits at a console across the room from the patient, monitors the video screens and directs the robotic arms. The system allows surgeons greater range of motion and precision than with hand-manipulated minimally invasive procedures and gives the surgeon a three-dimensional view when operating. A patient side cart contains robotic arms that position and maneuver the endoscopic instruments. EndoWrist® Instruments become the extension of the doctor’s wrists, hands and fingers and move the tiny instruments that have been positioned inside the patient through small incisions.

Click Here to watch a video overview of da Vinci S Surgical System at work!  

Urologic Applications

Initially, the da Vinci S System will be employed at Bryn Mawr Hospital for urologic oncology surgery procedures, primarily the treatment of prostate cancer. In fact, the da Vinci Prostatectomy represents the fastest growing treatment for prostate cancer today.

Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the prostate. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube that empties urine from the bladder). The prostate gland produces fluid that makes up part of the semen. Approximately 16% of American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer sometime in their life.

One of the most common treatments for prostate cancer involves the surgical removal of the prostate gland, known as radical prostatectomy. Traditional radical prostatectomy requires a large, 8-10 inch incision. This open surgery commonly results in substantial blood loss, a lengthy and uncomfortable recovery and the risk of impotence and incontinence.

The da Vinci® Prostatectomy (dVP), on the other hand, is a less invasive procedure. The da Vinci Prostatectomy incorporates a state-of-the-art surgical system that helps your surgeon see vital anatomical structures more clearly and to perform a more precise surgical procedure. For most patients, the da Vinci Prostatectomy offers substantially less pain and a much shorter recovery than traditional prostate surgery. As a minimally invasive procedure, da Vinci Prostatectomy can offer numerous potential benefits over open prostatectomy including:

• Shorter hospital stay
• Less pain
• Less risk of infection
• Less blood loss and transfusions
• Less scarring
• Faster recovery
• Quicker return to normal activities
• Lower incidence of impotence and urinary incontinence
• Potential for better cancer control

Bryn Mawr Hospital urologist Dr. David McGinnis, M.D. has performed 130 prostatectomies using the da Vinci system and will be utilizing it at Bryn Mawr to treat prostate cancer patients.

"The real advantage of the da Vinci is in performing complex laparaoscopy surgery," says Dr. McGinnis, who also a clinical professor of urology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. "The better optics and magnification allow surgeons to see clearer details and the instruments are very precise, which is important in preserving the nerves for urinary and sexual function." According to Dr. McGinnis, 20 percent of prostate cancers in the United States were treated using the da Vinci in 2005. Intuitive Surgical, makers of the robot, project that number will increase to 40 percent in 2006.

Other Urologic Applications:

• Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (Pyeloplasty)
• Bladder cancer (Cyctectomy)
• Renal cancer (Nephrectomy)
• Vesicoureteral reflux (Ureteral reimplantation)
• Fertility (Vasovasostomy)

Dr. McGinnis and the Bryn Mawr Hospital O.R. team successfully completed the first prostatectomy to be done at Bryn Mawr using the da Vinci® S robotic surgical system on Monday, July 10, 2006. View Highlights!

Cardiac Applications

Robotic-assisted minimally invasive cardiac procedures avoid the drawbacks of traditional heart surgery, including blood loss, pain and scarring that typically result from cutting through the breastbone and opening the ribs. The da Vinci System offers breakthrough capabilities that enable surgeons to operate through smaller incisions made between the ribs.

As a result, the da Vinci Surgical System is changing the practice of cardiac surgery as it's known today. Data suggests that recovery time, pain and trauma are reduced significantly through this less invasive approach.

For most patients, minimally invasive cardiac procedures performed with the da Vinci Surgical System can offer numerous potential benefits over open-chest surgery, including:

• Shorter hospital stay
• Less pain and scarring
• Less risk of infection
• Less blood loss and fewer transfusions

Dr. Robert Boova, M.D., Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Bryn Mawr Hospital, will be performing cardiac surgery using the da Vinci. “Our goal is to provide less invasive cardiac surgery procedures,” he says. “These minimally invasive operations enhance patient comfort and accelerate their recovery and return to normal activity. We are enthusiastic about incorporating the da Vinci robotic system into our cardiac surgery program. This technology is consistent with our focus on improving cardiac surgical care at Bryn Mawr Hospital.”

Other Surgical Procedures

In the future, the da Vinci Surgical S System can be used at Bryn Mawr Hospital for other applications, including:

General Procedures...

• Obesity (Gastric Bypass )
• Acid reflux (Nissen Fundoplication )
• Achalasia (Heller Myotomy)

Thoracic Procedures...

• Cancer of the esophagus (Esophagectomy )
• Myasthenia gravis (Thymectomy )
• Lung cancer (Lobectomy)

Gynecologic Procedures...

• Uterine Fibroids (Myomectomy )
• Uterine Conditions (Hysterectomy )

Your Generosity Made the da Vinci Possible at Bryn Mawr

The da Vinci S Surgical System, a $1.5 million investment for the hospital, was partially funded through philanthropic contributions from Bryn Mawr Hospital donors. Your support allows Bryn Mawr Hospital to continue to offer cutting edge medical technologies such as the da Vinci S Surgical System to the members of our community. Click Here to discover the many ways you can make a contribution to Bryn Mawr Hospital.