Plateau Students Give Surgical Robot A Try

Students from all over the Issaquah School District had a chance to check out and play around with Swedish/Issaquah Hospital’s new surgical robot on Saturday, Oct. 15 while it was on display in the hospital’s main floor lobby ahead of its planned installation in the operating room this week.

Dubbed the da Vinci surgical robot by its manufacturers, the multi-million dollar robot is capable of performing a variety of surgical procedures under the direction of trained professionals. The kids were able to quickly come to grips with the basics, though, as one by one they put the robot through its paces.

“I thought it was really cool,” said Matt Crocker, a 15-year-old sophomore.

Crocker described operating the robot as being a little weird at first but quickly got the hang of it.

“It was easy but hard at the same time,” Crocker said.

Crocker has a bit of an interest in robotics and the experience gave him an appreciation for the many possibilities of such a machine.

“You can do a lot with it,” Crocker said.

Intended to help surgeons quickly and efficiently perform a variety of surgeries, the da Vinci is noted for being less invasive than traditional surgical practices, meaning patients suffer less blood loss and have quicker recovery times.

“It’s definitely the new trend,” said Michael Petkov, a registered nurse and the robotics coordinator at Swedish/Issaquah Hospital.

According to Intuitive, manufacturer of the da Vinci robot, the machine is capable of 2-4 surgeries per day, maybe five in the hands of a skilled team.

“It allows the surgeons to do more in a day,” Petkov said.

Operators of the da Vinci robot sit at a console with hand and foot controls and view their work through something akin to a periscope. A larger monitor displays what the camera on the robotic arms sees as the various surgical attachments do their work. The robot is quiet, delicate and precise.

“It definitely makes it easier for the surgeon,” Petkov said.

And a bit like a video game, as the kids proved on Saturday.