Big Hand Movements Become Precise, Tiny Movements with da Vinci

The following information was submitted by Elmhurst Memorial Hospital.

Elmhurst Memorial Hospital’s robotic surgery program reached a milestone June 11, when Dr. Michael Martirano, medical director of EMH’s robotic surgery program, completed the removal of a gallbladder through a single, small umbilical incision using the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. It marked the 100th robotic surgery procedure performed at EMH.

The da Vinci surgical system allows surgeons to insert miniature instruments and a tiny high-definition 3-D camera through a series of quarter-inch incisions.
Using hand controls, surgeons guide robotic arms holding laparoscopic surgical instruments while advanced technology converts their large hand movements into precise, small movements. The robotic “wrists” are able to rotate a full 360 degrees, enabling surgeons to control the miniature surgical instruments with unprecedented accuracy, flexibility and range of motion.

Since it began in the fall of 2011, EMH’s robotic surgery program has been rapidly expanding. EMH is using the da Vinci Surgical System for a variety of procedures ranging from general surgery to gynecologic oncology, benign gynecology, urogynecology and urology. Recently, EMH became the first hospital in DuPage County to perform single incision robotic surgery. Across the country, there is a select group of only about 150 physicians who have completed the advanced training necessary to perform the procedure, which uses only a single incision that is less than one inch made through the belly button.

And the Winner is ... SURgio!

EMH recently enlisted the help of community members to name its da Vinci Surgical System. More than 100 submissions were received and narrowed down to four finalists. Members of the community were then invited to vote for their favorite name on the Hospital’s Facebook page. After a week of voting, SURgio was the clear favorite.

The winning name was submitted by Danielle Kase of Villa Park.

For more information on the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System at EMH, click here.