Da Vinci Successful For Delicate Surgery

By: Fraendy Clervaud | WJBF News Channel 6
Published: August 23, 2009

There’s a new tool in the CSRA to help patients; especially women with potentially life-threatening procedures. Some local surgeons now have a helping hand during surgery. It’s not a nurse it's a robot.
It's a common surgery with an uncommon robotic instrument. The goal: to make recovery and healing smoother.
Dr. Christian Thomae, Doctors Hospital:
“The trend is to get people out of the hospital back into work as soon as possible with minimal interruption of their daily life.” With the help of the Da Vinci robot, Doctor Christian Thomae will perform a hysterectomy. You've probably seen this new technology. It's been featured on prime-time television from CNN to grey's anatomy. Instead of the conventional 10 inch incision across her stomach, the doctor pokes small holes. This is where he'll guide the robot's arms into the body. Thomae then controls Da Vinci like a video game.
Dr. Christian Thomae, Doctors Hospital: “They are very small instruments that articulate what the human hand would be so basically what's happening you are using your hands to move the instruments like your hands would inside the patient.” Doctor Thomae says the Da Vinci's technology also helps him to see directly inside the patient. Dr. Christian Thomae, Doctors Hospital: “The operating field that we are looking at is magnified ten times in a 3 dimensional view so you are able to identify the blood vessels as you go along.” Doctor Thomae says most patients are now choosing the Da Vinci because recovery time is quicker than traditional surgeries.