Banner Del E. Webb welcomes daVinci robot to surgical team
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center RN Kurt Fretz trains on the facility’s new daVinci surgical robot.
SUN CITY WEST (Nov. 15, 2011) – The concept of doctors performing surgery with the help of robots may seem like something out of a science fiction movie, but it will be reality in Sun City West by November’s end.
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center welcomed the daVinci surgical robot to one of its operating rooms last week, and will begin using it by the end of the month. The amazing machine doesn’t replace surgeons, but complements their expertise by boosting their vision and precision during an operation.
Surgery with the robot is called robotic assist surgery. The surgeon directs the instruments using controls on the instrument’s consoles. Conventional minimally-invasive instruments are rigid with no wrists.
The robot’s instrument tips move like a human wrist and allow increased dexterity and precision. It provides a surgeon with four interactive robotic arms and a high definition 3D visual system so the surgeon can clearly see the surgical field. The robot's long arms can get into hard-to-reach areas and make dime-sized incisions.
Some common minimally invasive procedures using the daVinci robot include mitral valve repair, hysterectomy, treatment of kidney, prostate, and gynecological cancers, uterine fibroid removal and more.
Robot-assisted surgery enhances the ability to provide a less invasive surgery experience, which in turn dramatically decreases recovery time. Other benefits of the daVinci robot include: reduced blood loss and need for transfusions, less pain and discomfort, less risk of infection, shorter hospital stay and less scarring.
“With the daVinci robot, I can perform a hysterectomy with just a few small incisions. This allows my patients to get back on their feet faster than ever,” said Dr. Michael Bryan of Banner Northwest OB/GYN.
CEO John L. Harrington, Jr. adds: “Our surgeons are thrilled to add this new device to their tools, but the greatest benefit will be faster recovery times for patients because of the daVinci. That will be the greatest reward.”
The daVinci robot is one of several technological advancements made at the nonprofit hospital to provide excellent patient care. Banner Del E. Webb is also host to breast-specific MRI, Breast Specific Gamma Imaging, X-ray free PICC line insertion and more. In 2012, the hospital will open a new state-of-the-art heart catheterization lab.
About Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center
Banner Del E. Webb is a 404-bed, acute-care hospital offering orthopedic surgery, heart care, emergency care, general surgery, cancer care, obstetrics and gynecology, medical imaging, women’s diagnostic services, outpatient services, rehabilitation and behavioral care.
Banner Del E. Webb is part of Banner Health, a nonprofit health care system with 23 hospitals throughout the West. Supporting Banner Del E. Webb’s mission of excellent patient care is Sun Health Foundation, which encourages charitable giving to enhance health care delivery. To learn more, visit: www.bannerhealth.com/webb.
