New Robot Revolutionizes Surgery

It’s 2017 and although we don’t have flying cars yet, robots have made its way into the surgical operating room. Presenting: The DaVinci XI system.

“The DaVinci XI system is the most technically advanced robot there is on the market,” Dr. Troy Duininck, Essentia Health – St. Joseph’s Medical Center Surgeon, said.

The DaVinci Robot allows surgeons at the hospital to perform more advanced operations in a minimally invasive and laparoscopic procedure, benefiting the patient in a number of ways.

“When we’re able to do operations, minimally invasive or laparoscopic, it typically means that patients are recovering more quickly,” Dr. Duininck said. “It means that patients are in the hospital less time, and most of the time it results in less pain.”

The robot allows surgeons to attach instruments used in surgery onto its four arms. The robot is then operated by the surgeon at an operating station, located in another area of the room.

When the hospital began its program in 2008, the DaVinci robot was primarily used in urological procedures. However as new models are developed, other types of surgeries are now being performed using the robot.

“In more recent times, general surgery has begun using the robot for more applications,” Dr. Duininck said. “And those applications are anywhere from inguinal to abdominal wall hernia to complex bowel operations. Surgeons are also using the system to operate in the chest cavity, which we don’t do here at St. Joe’s.”

Since the robotic program began at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in 2008, the robot has performed over 500 surgeries.

The current XI model of the DaVinci robot cost Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center $2 million, although $800,000 of it was raised by the St. Joseph’s Foundation.