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Baptist Health recently purchased the da Vinci S robotic surgery system.

If robotic surgery is the future, then the future is now for Baptist Health.

The state's largest healthcare system recently added the da Vinci® S™ surgical system to its Little Rock campus. Baptist Health has had the da Vinci system in place in North Little Rock since June 2005.

"First off, the main reason that we added it is that we were at capacity over in North Little Rock," said Doug Weeks, a senior vice-president at Baptist Health. "We were struggling to keep up with the volume, and this system has those new applications with cardiovascular, gastric bypass and the prostate procedures."

The da Vinci system was previously limited to prostate surgery, but the new system can also be used for other things, and Weeks added that it also has gynecologic applications.

Intuitive Surgical is the manufacturer of the system, and Baptist Health is one of two hospitals in Arkansas using the da Vinci system. The other is Arkansas Children's Hospital, but Baptist is the only one using da Vinci S.

"We're very pleased to have the opportunity to be the first system in the region to operate with the da Vinci S model," said Russell Harrington, CEO of Baptist Health. "We've only started to explore all the capabilities of this system."

So, besides a letter, what's the difference between the two?

"The S series has a little bit more technology associated with it," Weeks said. "In the console of the S series, the physician has the ability to look at images, diagnostic images via our digital radiography system. So he can actually glance up and look."

That isn't all.

"[The changes] are primarily for the OR team," said Alexis Morgan, a spokeswoman for Intuitive Surgical. "They streamline surgery. The enhancements were so that the OR team can speed setup and breakdown of the system."

So with less time spent in surgery, in theory, it would mean that recovery from the surgery would be quicker as well.

"That's just anecdotal," Morgan said. "The surgeons who have been trained and are using the systems say that it helps, but we don't have any long-term studies to back that up."

One reason is that the technology in use is fairly new. The system was first approved for use in the United States in 2000. Now more than 300 systems are in use around the country.

The system has definite advantages.

"The main benefits have been less blood loss and smaller scarring," said Morgan.

One surgeon putting the system to use is Dr. Tim Langford, a urologist who has been using da Vinci since it was first installed in 2005.

"Our experience over the past year has shown that it offers a better operation for the patient with reduced complications, hospital stays and recovery time," Langford said. "Knowing we now have the latest technology available is very exciting."

The system uses four robotic arms that match the action of the surgeon while he or she is doing a procedure.

In addition to Langford, Weeks said three other surgeons are trained for the system and he anticipates five or six more in the near future.

"It depends on the specialties," Morgan said of the training time asccoiated with learning Da Vinci S. "Those are all huge factors on how quickly they get over the learning curve. Laparoscopic experience is key."

In numbers released by Intuitive Surgical, more than 8,000 prostatectomies were performed in 2004 and accounted for roughly 15 percent of the procedures performed. That number is expected to grow as more hospitals add to the system.

Ginny and Bob Shell, philanthropists and supporters of the hospital, made the purchase of the new system possible. Shell owns Baldwin & Shell Construction in Little Rock.

"We're just pleased to be able to help others who will benefit from this advanced technology," said Bob Shell. "We hope to motivate others to consider similar-size gifts."

Shell is very involved with healthcare and serves on the board of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.

ie.
October 2006

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