BURBANK, CA (April 25, 2006)- A 30-minute gynecological biopsy performed on April 21 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center was short and simple, but it made history as the first operation ever performed on the West Coast using the next generation of robotic surgery.  Richard Friedman, M.D., a Gynecological Oncologist on the Medical Staff at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, performed a "wedge resection" while operating the da Vinci STM Surgical System, which provides better outcomes for patients with less pain, less scarring and a faster recovery. "The robot’s performance exceeded all expectations," Friedman said.  "The procedure was straightforward and simple, and my patient will be able to recover faster from the surgery than if I had Performed this through traditional techniques." Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is the first hospital west of Texas to obtain the da Vinci STM Surgical System. 

 

Two additional surgeries using the system were performed at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center this week.  Martin Gelbard, M.D., a Urologist on the medical center’s medical staff, performed the West Coast’s first prostatectomy (prostate removal) using the da Vinci STM system on April 24.  Friedman performed the West Coast’s first hysterectomy using the da Vinci STM system today. With robotic surgery, the physician sits at a console to view three-dimensional images of the patient’s body but at ten times magnification. Using finger and wrist instrumentations and foot pedals, the physician operates the robot’s three surgical arms and one two-lens camera arm to perform minimally invasive surgeries that are more precise and delicate than ever before.

 

The da Vinci STM Surgical System, the second generation of robotic surgery, is a major improvement over the first generation – which was introduced in 1977-as its surgical arms have more extensive movements that allow them to complete more minute and flexible surgeries without the need to make additional incisions into the body. Each robotic arm is able to enter the body within an incision smaller than a dime.