Minimally Invasive Surgery: The da Vinci® Surgery System

You may have heard of laparoscopic surgery that uses tiny instruments and a camera that are inserted into the abdomen through very small incisions. The da Vinci® Surgery System takes this type of surgery to the next level by using a 3D camera and computer-enhanced robotic arms to perform even more precise surgery.

The da Vinci® Surgery System is registered robotic system sold by Intuitive Surgical. It is a specialized type of minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive means the incisions through the skin are close to the width of a dime, rather than several inches long as are required in standard surgery. The advantages of minimally invasive surgery are smaller incisions which reduce time to heal, less pain, less blood loss, fewer infections, and reduced costs for shorter hospital stays. Laparoscopy and da Vinci surgery are both minimally invasive types of surgery.

Here are some of the differences with the new da Vinci® Surgery System:

• Surgeon console – with laparoscopy, the surgeon stands beside the patient and manipulates the instruments by hand. With da Vinci, the surgeon sits at a special console and uses hand and controls to operate the robotic arms that perform the surgery.

• Robotic controls – the da Vinci system includes a cart with several robotic arms that is positioned beside the patient. These arms hold various surgical instruments that can suture, clamp, or cut as needed. An attendant can change out these instruments during surgery as directed by the surgeon.

• Surgical instruments – the da Vinci system can be fitted with a great variety of instruments that rotate and flex much like the human hand. The surgeon operates hand controls at the console that are translated into smaller, more precise movements by the robotic controls. This means the surgeon can control the amount of force applied and can make very precise cuts or sutures. The controller also filters out any hand tremors. These instruments are also able to rotate in full circles, which provides a greater range of motion than a human hand can provide.

• 3D Camera – unlike laparoscopy, which uses two dimensional cameras, the da Vinci system uses a high-resolution three dimensional camera mounted on one of the robotic arms to give the surgeon a clear, magnified view of the operating field. The system regulates the temperature of the camera to prevent the lens from fogging.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the da Vinci® Surgery System for a variety of procedures including surgeries for gynecology including hysterectomy and myomectomy, as well as cardiothoracic, urological, and general surgical procedures. As of the end of 2009, Intuitive Surgical had sold nearly 1,400 units, including over 1,000 in the U.S. and 248 in Europe.

The da Vinci® Surgery System performs computer-enhanced surgery, not robotic surgery. Robotic surgery means a device is programmed to perform a procedure and does it without further human input. The da Vinci System uses computers and robotic arms to enhance a surgeon’s ability to perform surgery, but a surgeon is always present making the decisions and controlling each step of the procedure.

Using the da Vinci System requires extensive training. Some doctors have stated that they did not feel confident using the system until they had performed the same procedure 12 or more times. So if you are considering this type of surgery, it’s important to make sure your doctor is thoroughly trained and experienced at using the da Vinci® Surgery System to perform the procedure you need.

Sources:
Intuitive Surgical
Brown University: Robotic Surgery Overview

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