Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

Patients at Northern Nevada Medical Center can get all the advantages of minimally invasive, advanced robot-assisted surgery now that experienced physicians at the hospital are using the da Vinci® Surgical System. This minimally invasive technique can help reduce pain and trauma to the body, lessen blood loss, lower risk of infection, shorten length of hospital stay and promote quicker recovery with less scarring.

Though the da Vinci surgical system is “robotic,” your surgeon is in control. The system allows surgeons to maneuver into confined spaces within the body with 3D magnification while providing a greater range of motion and precision with specialized instruments.

Surgeons at NNMC use the da Vinci Surgical System to perform the following procedures:

  • General surgery
    • Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal)
    • Colon resection
    • Inguinal hernia repair
    • Hiatal hernia repair
    • Umbilical hernia repair
    • Ventral hernia repair
  • Gynecologic surgery
    • Hysterectomy
    • Colposacropexy (pelvic organ prolapse)
  • Urologic surgery
    • Prostatectomy
    • Nephrectomy (kidney disease)

Certified Robotic Surgeons

Learn more about the certified robotic surgeons who practice at Northern Nevada Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call 775-356-6662.

The Benefits of Robotic Surgery

Robot-assisted surgery can provide a number of benefits to patients, including:

  • Reduced pain and trauma to the body
  • Less blood loss and reduced need for transfusions
  • Less postoperative pain and discomfort
  • Lower risk of infection
  • Shorter hospital stays
  • Quicker recovery and return to work
  • Less scarring and improved cosmetics
  • More precise surgery

How Does Robotic Surgery Work?

During most robotic surgery procedures, the surgeon makes a series of tiny incisions in the body through which the da Vinci® robotic arms are inserted. One of the arms is a tiny video camera and the other two hold surgical instruments. Sitting at a computer console located about ten feet from the operating table, the surgeon views a three-dimensional image from inside the patient’s body. From the console, the surgeon controls the robotic arms that are inside the patient.

What is the da Vinci Surgical System?

The da Vinci System consists of an ergonomic surgeon's console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, a high-performance 3D HD vision system and the system's EndoWrist® instruments. Using advanced robotic technology, the da Vinci System scales, filters and translates a surgeon's hand movements into precise movements of the EndoWrist instruments. The result is an intuitive interface with breakthrough surgical capabilities.

The da Vinci System can provide a number of benefits over conventional laparoscopy, in which the surgeon operates while standing, using hand-held, long-shafted instruments that have no mechanical wrists. With conventional laparoscopy, surgeons must look up and away from the instruments, to a nearby video monitor to see an image of the target anatomy. Surgeons must also rely on an assistant at the patient's side to position the camera correctly.

In contrast, the da Vinci System's ergonomic design allows surgeons to operate from a comfortable, seated position at the console, with their eyes and hands positioned in line with the instruments. To move the instruments or to reposition the camera, surgeons simply move their hands.

By providing surgeons with greater 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.

For patients, a da Vinci procedure can offer all the potential benefits of a minimally invasive procedure, including less pain, less blood loss and less need for blood transfusions. In addition, the da Vinci System can help allow shorter hospital stays, quicker recoveries and a faster return to normal daily activities.

Candidates for Robotic Surgery

If you would like to know if your surgery can be performed with the da Vinci Surgical System, contact us about your condition and a surgeon will help determine if you may be a candidate for robot-assisted surgery.

The response you receive will be only a guideline. Only your surgeon can decide if your procedure can be performed using the robotic system.

If you need a referral to a physician at Northern Nevada Medical Center, call our free physician referral service at 775-356-6662.

Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if robotic surgery is right for you.