GYN Oncology: OR-Live.com, with technical assistance from Digital Media Services, UNC School of Medicine, will present a Webcast of a da Vinci (robotic) Radical Hysterectomy, broadcast live from N.C. Women's Hospital at the University of North Carolina Hospitals, on February 22, 2006 at 4 PM (ET).
The minimally invasive procedure will be performed using the da Vinci (robotic) Surgical System, and will include a radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for the treatment of cervical cancer.* Dr. John Boggess, Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Fellowship Program Director, Division of Gynecologic Oncology at UNC School of Medicine will perform the procedure.
For this innovative procedure, Dr. Boggess will use da Vinci (NASDAQ: ISRG), a breakthrough robotic system designed to transcend the limitations of both open surgery and laparoscopy, expanding the surgeon's capabilities and offering patients a minimally invasive option for many complex procedures. With da Vinci surgery, patients can experience significantly less pain, less blood loss, a much quicker recovery and faster return to normal daily activities.
Although gynecologic oncology is a relatively new application of the da Vinci System, initial reports suggest that da Vinci Hysterectomy can provide women with significantly better results compared with traditional open hysterectomy for cervical or endometrial cancer. "The results," said Boggess, "are remarkable."
According to Boggess, all of his initial series of seven consecutive patients receiving radical hysterectomies for cervix cancer went home from the hospital the day after the operation, compared to the typical three-day hospital stay after an open procedure.
"None of the patients required IV pain medication. They were all able to take a pain pill or two and felt fine. The average blood loss was about 100 cc – one eighth of the published average blood loss for an open radical hysterectomy. All of these patients had rapid recoveries and returned to their normal lifestyles within a week," Boggess said.
In addition, "The operative time for the da Vinci cases was comparable to that of open procedures," he said. "It was a bit faster than times generally reported in the literature for doing the procedure laparoscopically," Boggess said.
"The margins — which indicate whether we are removing all the cancerous tissue — and the lymph node count, the second quantitative measure, are outstanding. All margins have been negative, and the lymph node count is dramatically higher than what is published in the literature. So there is absolutely no compromise in terms of the cancer operation. In fact, we believe this is a better cancer operation."
Boggess added, "The dexterity of the instruments and the visualization afforded by the 3D and the magnification means we are actually able to see things now with da Vinci that we normally don't see even with an open procedure. Our detection with da Vinci is better than anything we've done for over 100 years."
Boggess indicated that while da Vinci "really shines" in radical hysterectomies for cervical cancer, he and his UNC team plan to do many hysterectomies for uterine cancer robotically, "so that we can remain in the forefront in developing safe and effective standards of care. And we will certainly be very energetic in developing those standards to share with colleagues around the world in using the da Vinci Surgical System for cancer-related hysterectomies."
*Actual procedure performed subject to patient availability. In the event that a radical hysterectomy procedure for cervical cancer cannot be performed, Dr. Boggess will perform a hysterectomy for endometrial cancer – including para-aortic and pelvic lymphadenectomy in order to stage the disease.
About Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG), headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, is the global technology leader in the rapidly emerging field of robotic-assisted, minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Intuitive Surgical develops, manufactures and markets robotic technologies designed to improve clinical outcomes and help patients return more quickly to active and productive lives. The company's mission is to extend the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to the broadest possible base of patients. More information is available at www.intuitivesurgical.com and www.davinciprostatectomy.com. Intuitive Surgical — Taking surgical precision beyond the limits of the human hand.™
About the da Vinci® Surgical System
The da Vinci Surgical System is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to enable complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. The da Vinci System consists of an ergonomic surgeon's console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, a high-performance vision system and proprietary EndoWrist® instruments. Powered by state-of-the-art robotic technology, the da Vinci System is designed to scale, filter and seamlessly translate the surgeon's hand movements into more precise movements of the EndoWrist instruments. The net result is an intuitive interface with breakthrough surgical capabilities. By providing surgeons with superior visualization, enhanced dexterity, greater precision and ergonomic comfort, the da Vinci Surgical System makes it possible for more surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures involving complex dissection or reconstruction. This ultimately raises the standard of care for complex surgeries, translating into numerous potential patient benefits, including less pain, a shorter recovery and quicker return to normal daily activities.
This presentation is for general information only and is not intended to substitute for formal medical training or certification. Intuitive Surgical trains only on the use of its products and is not responsible for surgical credentialing or for training in surgical procedure or technique. As a result, Intuitive is not able to establish the accuracy of procedural content. While clinical studies support the use of the da Vinci Surgical System as an effective tool for minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary
Intuitive®, da Vinci®, InSite® and EndoWrist® are registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. www.intuitivesurgical.com www.davinciprostatectomy.com
John Boggess, MD
Surgeon
Paola A., MD
Moderator
Elizabeth Skinner, MD
Moderator