Hospital Happenings – April 2021

During the past year, Montrose Memorial Hospital made an additional investment in Robotic Surgical Care technology to assist with partial knee and total hip replacement procedures. The Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted equipment is the latest advancement in joint replacement surgery and it is transforming the way joint replacement procedures are performed.

Robotic-arm assisted surgery is a new approach to joint replacement that offers the potential for a higher level of patient-specific implant alignment and positioning. The technology allows surgeons to create a patient-specific 3D plan and perform joint replacement surgery using a surgeon controlled robotic-arm that helps the surgeon execute the procedure with a high degree of accuracy.

The Orthopaedic Surgeons at Montrose Memorial Hospital agree that Mako is changing the way joint replacement surgeries are performed. They use a virtual 3D model, which allows them to personalize each patient’s surgical plan pre-operatively, so there is a clear plan for how the surgeon will position the implant before entering the operating room. During surgery, the surgeon can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments, while the robotic-arm then allows the surgeon to execute that plan with a high level of accuracy and predictability. The combination of these three features of the system has the potential to lead to better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction.

In addition to the Mako, the surgeons at MMH have been using the da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgical System since 2016. The da Vinci system gives the surgeon the ability to see the anatomy better while offering the patient the most minimally invasive surgery possible. This means a better operation with fewer complications, a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery.

During a surgical procedure using the da Vinci, four to five small incisions are made in the patient’s abdomen. Small, tube-like instruments (cannulas) are inserted through these 2-3 cm incisions. The actual surgical instruments are positioned through the cannulas into your abdomen. The surgeon then manipulates those miniaturized surgical instruments while looking through an advanced-high definition, three-dimensional camera which magnifies the area up to ten times! This gives the surgeon unparalleled precision and control.

Surgeons at MMH are using the da Vinci Xi system primarily for prostate cancer surgery, hysterectomies and general surgery. Here are a few of the benefits of surgery with the da Vinci.

Benefits of da Vinci Surgery . . . for the Patient

• Shorter hospitalization
• Reduced pain
• Faster recovery times
• Smaller incisions, resulting in reduced risk of infection, less blood loss and minimal scarring
• Patients resume normal activities sooner

Benefits of da Vinci Surgery . . . for the Surgeon

• Magnified 3D visualization
• Increased precision, control and range of motion
• Improved access to and manipulation or organs, tissues and nerves

As Dr. Craig Peterson, Urologist, said; “The da Vinci makes me better at what I do.” The robotic system cannot make decisions on its own, nor can it be programmed. The system is fully controlled by the surgeon and every surgical maneuver during the procedure is performed with direct input from the physician. The robot is only as good as the surgeon, and the surgeon can be better because of this sophisticated tool.

We encourage you to talk to your surgeon to learn more about Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted equipment and the da Vinci XI Surgical System.

Leann Tobin, MMH Chief Marketing Officer, 970-240-7344