UnityPoint Health, a network of hospitals, clinics and home care services in three US states, is offering Iowa’s first single port robotic surgery, following delivery of a new robot at St. Luke’s Hospital’s urology department in Cedar Rapids.
The Da Vinci SP robot’s capabilities make it easier for surgeons to remove cancerous prostates — using just one incision.
According to Dr Jon Rippentrop, a urologist at the Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, it will soon be standard for robots to make incisions in patients.
“It really represents where robotics should be going in the future in terms of minimising impacts on the patient and hopefully improving patient outcomes,” he said.
Using a special console with hand and foot controls, the doctor uses the robot to deploy their instruments through one site, once it’s already inside the body.
“Ultimately there are four separate arms that are really under control of the surgeon at all times all through one small incision,” Rippentrop added. “Because of the articulating camera we’re seeing what we really couldn’t see before just based on the angle that you can change.”
Previous robotic systems created several incisions and prior to that, doctors had to open patients up unassisted.
“It was sort of a natural transition to try and get as many instruments inside from one incision as opposed to making as many incisions on the outside to get more instruments in,” Rippentrop said.
The idea is to reduce recovery time and pain. So far, patient reaction has been positive.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised when I see them after surgery and they say it was much better than they thought it was going to be,” said Rippentrop.
So far, the hospital has performed six surgeries using the Da Vinci SP robot, which is currently the only US Food and Drug Administration approved robotic system for urological procedures, such as prostate and kidney removal.
