Feb 25 2016
Mercy Medical Center is now one of only three hospitals in the mid-Atlantic region to offer the new Intuitive da Vinci Xi Surgical System for a variety of surgical procedures (e.g. gynecologic, urologic, colon-rectal, and general surgeries) through an enhanced, minimally invasive approach.
Mercy Medical Center gynecologic oncologist Dr. Dwight Im
“As a leader in da Vinci robotic surgical technology, we are excited to introduce this option for our patients. This state-of-the-art technology is the most sophisticated surgical robot on the market today. Patients benefit from smaller incisions, less blood loss and scarring and a faster recovery time,” said gynecologic oncologist Dr. Dwight Im, M.D., FACOG, Medical Director of The National Institute of Robotic Surgery at Mercy.
Dr. Im, who performed the first surgery at Mercy using the new robot earlier this month, noted that the new Xi robot provides a three-dimensional, high-definition (3D-HD) vision system, special instruments and computer software that allows surgeons to operate with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control.
The 3D-HD image is highly magnified, offering surgeons a close-up view of the surgical site. The da Vinci instruments have mechanical wrists that bend and rotate to mimic the movement of the human wrist.
“The robotic instruments bend in all directions and precisely mimic the surgeon’s hand movements. This gives us access to difficult to reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible by hand and require large incisions,” Dr. Im explained.
Patients benefit from the use of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System in a variety of ways, including:
- Surgery is minimally-invasive, with reduced scarring
- Shorter hospital stay
- Quicker recovery
- Less pain medication is required
A key feature of the new da Vinci system is an overhead instrument arm designed to facilitate anatomical access from virtually any position.
“With the new Xi robot, we can move among all quadrants of the abdomen during surgery,” Dr. Im said. “This means we can perform larger and more complex operations, moving within the abdomen without having to change the arms of the unit. And the camera offers unparalleled clarity and field of vision.”
The Xi’s immersive 3D, high-definition vision system can be magnified up to 10 ten times, providing surgeons a highly detailed view of the surgery. The da Vinci instruments also have mechanical wrists that bend and rotate to mimic the movements of the human wrist, allowing surgeons to make small, precise movements inside the body.
In addition to his role as head of The National Institute of Robotic Surgery at Mercy, Dr. Im is also medical director of The Neil B. Rosenshein, M.D., Institute for Gynecologic Care at Mercy, and The Gynecologic Oncology Center at Mercy. Additionally he serves as Medical Director of The Gynecologic Oncology Collaborative, a network of Gynecologic Oncology Centers throughout Maryland offering women access to top rated gynecologic care in a location that is convenient to them.
A top gynecologic oncologist and gynecologic robotic surgeon, Dr. Dwight Im specializes in diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancers including ovarian, cervical and uterine cancers.
Dr. Im is among the most widely recognized gynecologic oncology robotic surgeons and was the first surgeon to be named a "Gynecologic Oncology EpiCenter Surgeon" for the da Vinci robot. In 2015, Dr. Im was one of eight doctors elevated to Mentor Status in Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology. Dr. Im trains doctors from around the world in advanced, precision robotic surgery.
Mercy Medical Center is a 142-year-old, university-affiliated medical facility named one of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. by Thomson-Reuters with a national reputation for women’s health care. Home to the nationally acclaimed Weinberg Center for Women’s Health and Medicine, Mercy Medical Center is located at 345 St. Paul Street, just a few blocks from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. For more information, call 1-800-MD-Mercy.