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Harlingen, June 24, 2009 -- Doctors at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen have performed the Valley’s first surgery to remove an entire kidney using a new robot system which physicians hope will result in less pain and faster recoveries for patients who need this type of surgery.
Dr. Manuel Espinoza, used the da Vinci® robotic surgical system at Valley Baptist to remove a kidney which had a large tumor from a 36-year-old Harlingen-area woman. It was necessary to remove the woman’s kidney because of the tumor, but the patient will be able to have a good quality of life with the remaining kidney.
Dr. Espinoza noted that the robotic-assisted surgery requires smaller incisions than traditional surgery. The minimally-invasive technique means that in many cases, there is less pain for the patient, less bleeding, and a faster recovery time.
During the procedure, the surgeon operates while seated comfortably at a console viewing a 3D image of the surgical field. Doctors insert surgical instruments and a camera through small incisions. The physician can precisely guide the instruments using high-definition, 3-D vision monitors which greatly magnify the area of the surgery. The robot also has an ‘endo-wrist’ which gives the doctor more flexibility in small places and enables more precise suturing. The system seamlessly translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.
The robot is also being used at Valley Baptist for other types of surgery, including prostate cancer surgery in men, gynecological surgeries in women, and general surgeries.
For more information on robotic surgery and other advances in health care in the Valley, visit www.valleybaptist.net.
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