DIOCESAN NEWS
03/12/10
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St. Dominic’s uses newest da Vinci Surgical System
By Sharee Lucius
       JACKSON — St. Dominic Hospital is
one of a select number of hospitals in the nation and the first in Mississippi to perform surgical procedures using the newest da Vinci Si HD robotic system.
       Several gynecologic procedures, including hysterectomies, can be performed with the aid of the new equipment.
       Paul Seago, MD, a gynecologic oncologist with Mississippi Oncology Associates at St. Dominic Hospital, performed a hysterectomy recently, marking the first time the equipment has been utilized in the state.
       The device allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures instead of more invasive ones, which dramatically reduces patients’ recovery times.
       The da Vinci robotic system is not new to St. Dominic’s. The first robotic surgery was performed at St. Dominic’s in 2005.
       Dr. Seago was the first surgeon in Mississippi to perform a radical hysterectomy with the original da Vinci system installed at St. Dominic’s.
       According to Heather Boling, directory of surgery, since that time, several hundred robotic cases have been performed at St. Dominic’s with over 200 performed this past year.
       “Since 2005, there has been a steady increase in all robotic procedures. Specifically, a marked increase in gynecologic procedures with the da Vinci system,” said Boling.
       “The addition of the new da Vinci Si HD will increase availability for our patients, allowing them to have procedures performed without a prolonged wait.
       “As more patients learn about the benefits of the robotic system, they are requesting their surgeons to utilize it, especially women scheduled for gynecologic surgery,” she said.
       Dr. Seago said the da Vinci Si HD offers the same 3-D operating environment and full range of motion as the earlier model but has been improved due to a high-definition viewer and increased mobility.
       “This newest equipment contains a console ergonomically designed and more flexible than the original system,” said Seago.
       “Also, the high definition vision and greater range of motion makes it more amendable to performing gynecologic procedures. It is truly an advance beneficial to surgeons while providing the same favorable benefits for patients.”
       The da Vinci also offers greater precision than the human hand can allow.
       Its high-definition cameras see more than the human eye, offering improved clarity and detail of tissue and anatomy, critical factors when performing delicate procedures.
       Dr. Seago performed a procedure using the da Vinci Si HD on Jan. 13, on a patient suffering from cancer and in need of a full hysterectomy.
       By using the da Vinci system versus traditional surgical methods, the patient’s recovery time was cut from about a month to one week, he said.
       “The newer system opens up additional opportunities for surgeons that have never considered utilizing the equipment,” said Dr. Seago.
       Dr. Seago said the innovative technology enhances a surgeon’s ability to perform a procedure minimally invasively, thereby enabling patients to recover more quickly and experience fewer complications.
       For cases in which surgeons desire to work together, two consoles allow them to simultaneously collaborate during surgery.
       The dual consoles ensure that two surgeons — meaning two sets of eyes, hands and skills — are involved in the surgery.
       The da Vinci Si HD offers a number of benefits to patients, including:
       • Requires just a few tiny incisions for minimal scarring,
       • Faster post-surgery recovery (days versus weeks),
       • Significantly less pain and less blood loss,
       • Less risk of infection,
       • Shorter hospital stays,
       • Faster return to normal activities,
       • Overall increased satisfaction.
       Claude Harbarger, president of St. Dominic Hospital, said obtaining the latest version of the da Vinci system is one way to keep the hospital at the forefront of technological advances and provide surgeons with the latest equipment.
       “St. Dominic’s is fortunate to have someone with Dr. Seago’s expertise utilize the latest da Vinci Si HD system,” said Harbarger.
       “Coupled with our outstanding surgeons and staff, we now offer a new level of surgical options extremely beneficial to our patients.”

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