Multi-Armed “Robot” Enhances the Surgical Cutting Edge

City of Hope
Tuesday, 18 November 2003

Tiny scissors, scalpels and other surgical instruments attached to robotic arms are being used by City of Hope surgeons in delicate, lifesaving surgeries, such as removing cancerous prostate glands in men, offering benefits to patient and doctor that regular laparoscopic surgery cannot.

The small instruments are attached to the da Vinci™ Surgical System,* which has been used in more than 60 City of Hope surgeries, including cancerous urinary bladder removal in women and men patients. The system provides the surgeon with precise, three-dimensional vision while reproducing the exact movements of the human hands and wrists, but more with dexterity.

"This robotic system allows doctors to see inside the body in three dimensions and operate using tiny precision instruments that we can maneuver by using our hands in a more natural way than in a standard manual laparoscopy," said Timothy Wilson, M.D., director, Department of Urology and Urologic Oncology at City of Hope.

In manual laproscopic surgery, surgeons operate long, thin instruments that are inserted into the body through small, "band aid" incisions. One contains a small camera that provides pictures that are projected onto a monitoring screen.

This new system is controlled by a surgeon who sits in front of a console to maneuver the four arms of a 6-foot robot positioned over the patient. It consists of a surgeon console, patient-side cart, instruments and image processing equipment.

A tiny camera, or laparoscope, is inserted into the patient's body. Looking into a hooded monitor, the surgeon can see inside the body while controlling various small instruments, such as a cauterization tool, that are inserted into the body through hollow tubes.

Surgeon skill is still important as he or she directs the system's integration of the latest in advancements of robotics and computer-enhanced technology.

The minimally invasive surgery generally allows patients to recover faster and with less pain and scarring. Surgeons feel less fatigue and more comfort during the long hours of surgery.

"I was able to walk 2½ miles the day after the surgery. I was released from the hospital 48 hours post surgery and I was back to work in two weeks," said patient Eli Nussbaum, a pediatric doctor whose cancerous prostate was removed by surgeons using the da Vinci system at City of Hope.

City of Hope is one of only a few Southern California medical centers that uses the system.

City of Hope Cancer Center is one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. A pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics, City of Hope is a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation of the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. City of Hope's scientific knowledge is shared with medical centers locally and globally, helping patients around the corner and around the world. For more information, visit our website.

*The da Vinci Surgical System is a registered trademark of Intuitive Surgical Inc., of Sunnyvale, California.

For more information, or to contact City of Hope, see their website at: www.cityofhope.org