• Lighten Up Onlsow
• Ohealthy

News

Armed and ready: Surgical robot brings new quality dimension to OMH

August 22, 2011  3:25 PM

Keryn Thompson-Kolar, Contributing Writer

The future of surgery is here today at Onslow. Since late July, OMH doctors have been performing operations assisted by the $1.3 million da Vinci Surgical Robot System.

The da Vinci was introduced in the United States in 2000. This large machine, which is operated from a console with joystick-like controls, can be used for many different surgical procedures, including hysterectomies, ovarian and prostate surgeries, cardiac surgeries, colorectal procedures and more.

One arm of the device features a camera that is inserted into the patient through a tiny incision. The other arm is similarly inserted and holds surgical instruments as needed: scissors, pincers, cauterizers, etc. The physician sits at a console and manipulates the controls while viewing a high-definition, 3D image provided by the camera.

“The patient is typically home the next day, with much less pain,” said Dr. Elizabeth Wolf, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. “The patient can get back to work in half the time vs. 'huge-incision' surgery.”

Wolf, who received her certification on the da Vinci in Indiana in 2008, said she expects she'll be using the device at Onslow.

“It definitely makes it easier to fine-tune an operation,” she said, “and it improves the range of the minimally invasive operations we can do.”

Wolf said Dr. Eleanor Murray, a fellow practitioner at Women's Healthcare Associates, also is certified to use the device.

Currently, more than 1,000 of the da Vinci robots are being used worldwide to perform surgeries. The advantages of the system?

“It's less invasive,” said Dr. Takey Crist, who along with his associate, Dr. Charles Marshall Webb, performed six OB/GYN surgeries at Onslow using the device between July 29 and Aug. 10.

“There is less blood loss, there is less scarring, and there is less recovery time,” he said. “Also, it is more convenient for the patient,” who has a shorter hospital stay and gets back on her feet sooner, he said.

In a traditional hysterectomy, doctors must make a large incision in the patient's abdomen. This can mean a recuperation time of four to five days in the hospital and up to another month at home. But when a hysterectomy is performed with the da Vinci robot, the patient typically can go home within 24 hours, and recovery can take a week or less, Dr. Crist said.

In many cases, the incisions are so small that they can be closed with surgical glue instead of stitches, he added.

Crist said he is impressed with the precision of the machine. The surgical arms have a range of motion beyond the limits of the human hand, allowing rapid and precise suturing, dissection and tissue manipulation. His hope is that the hospital will be able to purchase a second surgical robot just for urological procedures.

“It’s wonderful that the hospital has the da Vinci,” said Dr. John Westbrook of Onslow Surgical Associates. “It’s great. I hope it will be a tool to help recruit a urologist to the area.”

Westbrook said he and OSA colleague Dr. Christopher Suhr are currently training to use the device, and hope to do their first surgeries with the da Vinci in late fall.

Onslow administrators expect other area doctors will follow suit, thus increasing the community's access to less-invasive and faster-healing surgical procedures.

“We're pleased to have brought this state-of-the-art surgical capability to Onslow County,” said Tim Strickland, Senior Vice President and Director of Public Relations/Marketing. “We're very excited that we have this capability.”

In order to perform surgery using the da Vinci Surgical Robot, doctors must undergo many hours of training with Intuitive Surgical Inc., and labs at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. Testing and certification then follow.

Here are some physicians with area practices who currently have or are seeking certification:

Crist Clinic for Women

Dr. Takey Crist

Dr. Charles Marshall Webb

Certified and already performing da Vinci surgical procedures at OMH.

Women's Healthcare Associates

Dr. Elizabeth Wolf

Dr. Eleanor Murray

Certified to perform da Vinci surgical procedures.

Onslow Surgical Associates

Dr. John Westbrook

Dr. Christopher Suhr

Currently training for certification.

Independent Practices

Dr. Wesley Hambright

Dr. Robert Kell

Both plan to receive training.