Surgical robot officially revealed
Manitoba's first surgical robot was officially unveiled at an event at Health Sciences Centre on Monday.
Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci Xi has four surgical arms operated by highly sensitive controls.
The machine has been in use at HSC since at least February. It is currently being used for thoracic surgery (usually lung and esophageal procedures). gynecologic cancer surgery and urology. It allows surgeons to reach parts of the anatomy that aren't easily accessible with traditional surgical instruments.
'The da Vinci Xi, in essence, extends the capabilities of a surgeon's hands and a surgeon's eyes. The robot's arms move better and with more stability than is possible for human hands; and the enhanced scopes and visualization technology helps us see even the smallest parts of the anatomy with extreme clarity,' Dr. Edward Buchel, HSC's surgery site director, said in a written announcement posted on the foundation's website.
The machine was funded by the Health Sciences Centre Foundation's Operation Excellence campaign, in partnership with the province.
'Acquiring Manitoba's first surgical robot is a major milestone for patient care,' foundation CEO Jonathon Lyon said in the announcement.
'The robot is a shining example of how new technology can help us achieve our goals to end surgical wait times. With the robot, patients will experience less pain, less blood loss and lower risks of complications. And because patients treated with the robot are typically discharged from the hospital in a day or two, we'll see better patient flow, a reduced burden on the emergency department and an increase in in-patient bed availability.'
An Ji Li, a 33-year-old thoracic patient, suddenly began coughing up blood in December. He was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent robotic surgery at HSC in February. He was discharged the next day.
'When you hear the word 'cancer,' everything stops. But knowing I had access to this technology gave me real hope,' Li said.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca
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