FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 1, 2006
Dr. L. Michael Fields (far left), Dr. Christopher Ramsey (far right) and members of the surgical team at St. Mary's Medical Center observe the operation of the new da Vinci S Surgical System during a training session on the new equipment. Surgeons at St. Mary's Medical Center began performing robotic-assisted, minimally invasive surgical procedures on July 31.
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St. Mary’s Medical Center is the only healthcare facility in the Knoxville area using the next generation of robotic surgical systems to treat prostate, gynecological and cardiac cases through minimally invasive surgical procedures.
St. Mary’s installed the new da Vinci S Surgical System and started performing robotic-assisted surgery this week. This second generation of robotic surgical systems has incorporated advances in technology to improve the surgeon’s control of the system’s four robotic arms.
Not designed to replace a surgeon, the da Vinci S System interprets and refines the surgeon’s hand movements, allowing for complex dissection or reconstruction in a minimally invasive environment. This robotic technology is designed to scale, filter, and seamlessly translate the surgeons hand movements into the precise movements of the robotic arms and instruments.
“Robotic-assisted surgery has been shown in many studies to be safe and effective in a number of medical procedures including prostatectomy, hysterectomy and mitral valve repair,” said Christopher Ramsey, M.D., a board-certified urologist in practice with the Urology Consultants of Knoxville and on the active staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center.
“Using just five to six small incisions, robotic-assisted surgery has all the benefits of minimally invasive procedures including shorter hospital stays, less blood loss, faster recovery and a quicker return to normal activities.”
“In urologic applications, the greater precision achieved through the use of robotics helps to achieve excellent outcomes in cancer control, potency and urinary function,” Dr. Ramsey added.
Dr. L. Michael Fields (left) and Dr. Christopher Ramsey discuss the operation of the surgeon's console of the da Vinci S Robotic Surgery System during an orientation session for the new equipment in the St. Mary's Medical Center OR 5.
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“Robotic-assisted surgery is the wave of the future,” said L. Michael Fields, MD, who is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is on the active staff at St. Mary’s. “In the years to come, I think you will see many more procedures done using this technology, which has many benefits for the patient.”
According to Thomas Fields, the health service line leader in the St. Mary’s Surgery Department, the da Vinci S System consists of a ergonomic surgeon’s console, a patient side cart with four interactive robotic arms, a high-performance vision system and the Endowrist instruments.
In contrast to conventional laparoscopy, the da Vinci S system allows the surgeon to operate from a comfortable, seated position with the eyes and hands positioned in line with the instruments. To move the instruments or to reposition the camera, all the surgeon has to do is move his/her hands.
More information on minimally invasive surgery at St. Mary’s is available on the health system’s Web site, www.stmaryshealth.com.
Dr. Thomas R. Traylor and Dr. Michael Fields are board certified specialists in the field of women's health care. Along with their dedicated staff, they are committed to providing you with the highest quality care possible. The information provided throughout this website is intended to help you become more familiar with our practice.
