|
|
|
|
January 14, 2009
Da Vinci robotic surgery cuts hospital stays, patient medical expenses
Technology makes same day hysterectomies possible
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Regions Hospital today reported that use of the da Vinci Surgical System allows patients to go home one to six days earlier than patients who undergo more traditional procedures. In addition, medical expenses associated with a patients length of stay in the hospital decreased from about $400 to as much as $3,200.
Introduced in 2007, the da Vinci is now used for 19 different procedures at Regions. The most common procedures are heart valve repair surgery, hysterectomy and prostate cancer removal. More than 114 patients at Regions have benefited from the robotic surgery technology.
"The average patient is back to normal daily activities within two weeks - sometimes even less - and hospitalization is typically cut in half," said Goya Raikar, M.D., head of Regions cardiovascular surgery department, who performed the first heart valve repair surgery in Minnesota using robotic surgery. In addition to faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays, the robotic surgical system also reduces pain, scarring and blood loss and decreases the risk of infection.
"Two years ago, same-day surgery for hysterectomies was unthinkable, but with daVinci patients can undergo the procedure in the morning and be home for dinner that night with minimal restrictions. It is surgery without all the pain of surgery," said Leslie Sharpe, M.D., an Ob/Gyn physician at Regions.
The da Vinci surgical robot includes a three-dimensional camera, four robotic arms and surgical instruments that provide range of motion and dexterity exceeding that of a human. The surgeon uses a console to perform an operation through tiny incisions.
Same-day surgery cases have increased by 13 percentage points in the past year at Regions and the HealthPartners Specialty Center in large part because the use of minimally invasive technology including daVinci.
Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and teaching hospital serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 130 years. Regions is a private, non-profit hospital providing outstanding care in women's health, heart, cancer, surgery, orthopaedics, neuroscience, burn, emergency care and more. Regions is part of the HealthPartners family of care. Additional information is available at regionshospital.com.
Contact: 651-254-4730
Pager: 651-629-1795
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
