Robotic Surgery Comes to Parkland Medical Center

September 3, 2008, Derry, NH – Parkland Medical Center took delivery of the da Vinci® Surgical System on August 29th, bringing the benefits of state-of-the-art robotic surgical technology to patients in Greater Derry, New Hampshire.  “We are pleased to bring this technology to patients here at Parkland,” said Kathy Marschner, Operating Room Manager.  “Robot assisted surgery is a less invasive option for many surgical procedures and offers the majority of patients a much faster recovery period.”

The da Vinci Surgical System is operated by a surgeon sitting at a console a few feet away from the patient at a console. Using a high-powered camera, the surgeon guides the arms of the robot that holds surgical tools, which are inserted into the patient through small, keyhole-sized incisions. The da Vinci’s highly accurate instruments allow the surgeon to move his own hands - and the robot’s – to conduct precise movements with extraordinary control and range of motion in a closed chest, abdomen or pelvis. The da Vinci’s video monitoring system provides a three-dimensional view of the surgery with magnification ten times that of the naked eye.  The da Vinci System occupies one of four newly renovated Operating Rooms at Parkland.  

Benefits to patients include shorter hospital stays, less pain, less risk of infection, less scarring and faster recovery.  Patients who have undergone robotic surgery have consistently reported high satisfaction with the procedure.  For men facing prostate surgery and women facing the diagnosis of cancer or the prospect of a complete hysterectomy, this is welcome news. 

Parkland will open the Lahey Institute of Urology at Parkland Medical Center later this month under the direction of David Canes, MD, a robotic surgeon from the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA.  Dr. Canes has joined the medical staff at Parkland to oversee the development of a urologic robotic surgery program, having performed over 200 robotic prostatectomies.

Gynecology is the other surgical specialty at Parkland that will immediately benefit from the $1.5 million robotic system.  Several local OB/GYNs have also been trained and are certified to use the system.  The da Vinci hysterectomy offers women the following potential benefits: 

• Shorter hospital stay (one day in most cases versus 3-5)
• Significantly less post-operative pain
• Quicker recovery and return to normal activities (1-2 weeks versus 6-8 weeks)
• Fewer complications and less risk of infection
• Less scarring: Small, dime-sized incisions versus 6-8 inch scar

 For more information about da Vinci robotic surgery and the Lahey Institute of Urology at Parkland Medical Center in Derry, New Hampshire, call 603-421-3663.