Robotic Surgery

Paoli Hospital is proud of its investment in the state-of-the-art da Vinci® Surgical System. This advanced robotic-assisted technology allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures to treat a variety of medical conditions, with significant advantages over traditional "open" surgeries.

The da Vinci Surgical System provides surgeons with superior 3-D visualization, enhanced dexterity and range of motion, greater precision and ergonomic comfort. With these enhanced capabilities, surgeons are able to perform complex procedures through tiny (1-2 cm) incisions. As a result, patients often experience less pain, discomfort and blood loss and enjoy shorter hospital stays and a faster recovery. 

Paoli Hospital is utilizing the da Vinci Surgical System to treat a variety of conditions, including prostate and gynecological cancers. Surgeons who are using the da Vinci System to treat patients include:

• James Bollinger, M.D. (Urology)
• David Holtz, M.D. (Gynecologic Oncology)
• Radhika P. Kakarla, MD (Obstetrics/Gynecology)
• Melissa L. Delaney, DO (Obstetrics/Gynecology)
• James S. Kolter, MD (Obstetrics/Gynecology)
• William G. Merriam (Urology)
• Donald H. Andersen, MD (Urology)

The da Vinci Surgical System consists of a surgeon's viewing and control console with an integrated, high-performance InSite® 3-D vision system, a patient-side cart consisting of three or four robotic arms that position and precisely maneuver endoscopic instruments and an endoscope, and a variety of articulating EndoWrist® instruments.

During surgery, the surgeon sits at the console across the room from the patient, monitors the video screens and directs the robotic arms. The surgeon simply makes three or four tiny incisions measuring a mere 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter using the da Vinci instruments. The da Vinci System has up to four arms that are inserted into the patient through the incisions. One arm holds a miniature camera and the other arms hold instruments. Through these ports, the surgeon is able to navigate the robotic instrument arms and endoscopic arm during the procedure, all while sitting at the console several feet away from the operating table. A magnified 3-D system gives the surgeon an enhanced view of the surgical field.

The da Vinci System seamlessly and directly translates the surgeon's natural hand, wrist and finger movements on instrument controls at the surgeon's console into corresponding micro-movements of the instrument tips positioned inside the patient through small incisions. It maintains a corresponding eye-hand-instrument alignment, so that as a surgeon twists the controls in one direction, the instruments twist in the same direction, giving the surgeon natural hand-eye coordination. In standard laparoscopic surgery the movement of the instruments is counterintuitive—similar to doing surgery while looking into a mirror.

da Vinci Prostatectomy

Robotic-assisted visualization, dexterity, precision and control enable a surgeon to perform a wide array of urological procedures through small incisions, while achieving better clinical outcomes. In fact, the da Vinci Prostatectomy (dVP) performed with the da Vinci Surgical System is the fastest growing treatment for prostate cancer today.

For most patients, the da Vinci Prostatectomy offers substantially less pain and a much shorter recovery than traditional prostatectomy. Other advantages include reduced need for blood transfusions, less scarring, less risk of infection and a lower incidence of impotence and urinary incontinence.

Gynecologic Applications

If your doctor recommends surgery for your gynecological condition, you may be a candidate for one of two new, minimally invasive procedures: da Vinci Hysterectomy and da Vinci Myomectomy (for uterine fibroids).

The da Vinci System's intuitive interface provides breakthrough capabilities, allowing more gynecologic surgeons to use a minimally invasive approach in complex procedures. The enhanced visualization, dexterity, precision and control offered by the da Vinci System can enable gynecologic surgeons to more easily perform complex procedures and potentially achieve better clinical outcomes than with conventional laparoscopic surgery.

Hear what our Patients and Physicians have to say about Robotic Surgery