St. John’s Hospital offers patients an alternative to traditional open surgical procedures and conventional laparoscopic surgery with da Vinci Robotic Surgery. Surgeons at St. John’s Hospital are using the da Vinci Surgical System for a variety of procedures including:

• Hysterectomy (removing the uterus)
• Partial Nephrectomy (removing section of kidney)
• Prostatectomy (removing the prostate)
• Sacrocolpopexy (repairing uterine or vaginal vault prolapse)
• Pyeloplasty (correcting a blockage at the kidney/ureteral junction)

The da Vinci ™ Surgical System

The da Vinci Surgical System incorporates the latest advances in robotics and computer technology to provide surgeons with a sophisticated new tool in the operating room. It enables surgeons to perform precise, minimally invasive surgeries. The acquisition of the da Vinci Surgical System was funded by donations to the Friends of St. John’s Hospital.

More Precise Surgery

Minimally invasive surgical procedures allows surgeons to operate through small ports rather than large incisions, resulting in shorter recovery times, fewer complications and reduced hospitalization costs.

Advantages of Robotic Surgery:

• Smaller incisions
• Reduced pain and trauma to the body
• Less scaring
• Faster recovery and return to normal daily activities

About the da Vinci Surgical System Technology

The da Vinci Surgical System consists of three components, the InSite™ Vision System, a Surgical Cart and a Surgeon Console.

The InSite Vision System provides the surgeon with a 3-D view of the surgical field, including depth of field, magnification and high resolution. With its 3-D view, the da Vinci System aids the surgeon in more easily identifying vital anatomy, such as the delicate nerves and blood vessels surrounding specific anatomy.

The Surgical Cart includes the EndoWrist™ Instruments and four robotic arms whereby the laparoscope and three EndoWrist Instruments are inserted. The EndoWrist Instruments are designed to mimic the movement of the human hands, wrists and fingers. The extensive range of motion allows precision that is not available in standard minimally invasive procedures.

The Surgeon Console is set away from the actual operating table and contains the master controls that the surgeon uses to operate. The handles translate the surgeon’s natural hand and wrist movements into corresponding, precise and scaled movements.

The EndoWrist Instruments are only able to move when commanded by the surgeon. The EndoWrist Instruments provide the surgeon with the dexterity not available using conventional laparoscopic instruments to perform a delicate and precise surgical dissection, reconstruction or removal of specific tissue.

For referrals to physicians using the da Vinci Surgical System at St. John's Hospital or general questions about the da Vinci Surgical System, please call (217) 544-6464, ext. 47702.

Have a question about the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System? Click here to send an e-mail to a robotic-trained nurse.

The da Vinci Surgical System was the first operative surgical robot deemed safe and effective by the United States Food and Drug Administration for actually performing surgery. Specific cardiac applications of the da Vinci Surgical System have not been cleared by the FDA for use in the United States.

All photos courtesy of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. For more information on the da Vinci Surgical System, please see Intuitive Surgical