While the innovative da Vinci surgical robot’s use is largely limited to specialized procedures, Evergreen Healthcare is the first hospital in the area to implement minimally invasive robot-assisted general surgery.

This is expected to increase the number of patients who can benefit from the quicker recoveries and shorter hospital stays the da Vinci technology provides. Evergreen was also the first in the Puget Sound to perform gall bladder removal using da Vinci.

Surgeons use the da Vinci robot’s master controls to maneuver the surgical instruments, guided by a high-resolution endoscopic camera. The robot arms extend the natural motion of the surgeon’s hands and refine those movements to reduce the likelihood of error.

Currently, da Vinci-assisted surgeries are largely used for urological and obstetrical procedures such as prostatectomies and hysterectomies. At Evergreen, surgeons began extending the da Vinci system to also perform abdominal laparoscopic and bariatric procedures.

Last October marked the first time in the Puget Sound region the da Vinci system was used for a gall bladder removal procedure, but the patient wasn’t as impressed by that milestone as he was by the fact he went home the same day and needed no pain medication.

Dr. Michael Towbin, who performed the gall bladder procedure, began adapting the system for further general surgery. Dr. Towbin says the da Vinci offers several advantages, starting with its ergonomics. He says the wrist controls can do more than the human wrist, which means the surgeon can get different angles and approaches to anatomy, and the high-definition camera provides 3D images magnified several times for incredible accuracy.

“While it is renowned for prostate and gynecologic surgeries, it’s relatively new in the general surgery arena,” said Dr. Towbin. “I’ve been a surgeon for many years, and I’ve not been this excited about a surgical tool. This is a game-changer, it really is.”

Evergreen has used the da Vinci robot for two years and, in response to growing patient demand, will soon add a second da Vinci system.

Evergreen’s history of serving the community with patient-friendly technology was most recently augmented by the introduction of MAKOplasty, a minimally invasive partial knee replacement surgical technology.

MAKOplasty joins Evergreen’s suite of patient-friendly technology for hip and knee replacement surgery, which includes arthroscopy, computer navigation and minimally invasive total knee replacement.

To learn more about Evergreen’s general surgery program and use of the da Vinci robot, visit www.evergreenhealthcare.org or call the Evergreen Healthline 425-899-3000.