Overview

The sophisticated technology was key in developing the minimally invasive surgery services that bring together UI experts in general surgery and engineering as well as disciplines such as anesthesia, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, vascular surgery, orthopaedics, radiology and urology.

"We created a center where all surgical disciplines can interact and exchanges ideas related to minimally invasive surgery care, research and education," says Winfield.

The da Vinci® robotic surgery system is currently approved for use in surgeries is the abdomen, pelvis, and chest. The following are examples of how UI Hospitals and Clinics surgeons use the da Vinci® robotic system:

• Robotic Mitral Valve Repair
• Mechanical helping hands
• An Iowa first
• da Vinci® Surgery System
• Surgical firsts
• Prostatectomy: Questions and Answers
• Fallopian Tube Reanastamosis

Pediatric surgeons at University of Iowa Children's Hospital perform robotic surgery in infants and neonates, and were among the first to recognize the benefits of robotic surgery for children:

• November 2002 - world's first pediatric colon resection
• March 2003 - world's first pediatric adrenalectomy
• April 2003 - world's first total proctocolectomy with pull-through (pediatric or adult)
• Summer 2003 - world's first Ladd's procedure
• September 2004 - world's smallest Nissan fundoplication and smallest robotic surgery patient in the world (any procedure) at 2.6 kg
• March 2005 - Iowa Baby Is World's First (and Youngest) To Receive Life-Saving Robotic Surgery: March 3, 2005

Surgeons say that robotic surgery allows them to do things they never dreamed possible. "I can take a cut vessel and put it back together using very, very tiny sutures." Winfield says. "There is so much more mobility," he says, comparing the da Vinci's ability to extend a normal 90-degree turn of the wrist into a 180-degree turn.

While traditional laparoscopic surgery also involves small incisions through which instruments are inserted and, like da Vinci®, contributes to speedier and less painful recoveries, it does not offer the same visual and dexterity advantages and is limited to certain types of surgeries.