Minimally invasive robotic surgery

Where traditional open surgeries require large incisions and long recovery times, the da Vinci® Surgical system provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, putting surgeons hands at the controls of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. The da Vinci® System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision resulting in less pain, scarring and quicker return to normal activities.

Advantages of robotic surgery:

• Less pain and scarring
• Less risk of infection
• Shorter hospital stays
• Return to normal activities within a few days
• Reduced blood loss and fewer transfusions
• Improved results over traditional surgery

Leaders in robotic surgery

Our surgeons participated in the research and clinical trials that secured FDA approval of the technique, and physicians in our open-heart surgery program were the first in Illinois to perform robotic mitral valve repair surgery. Surgeons in various specialties at Advocate are highly trained and have performed more robotic surgeries at our institution than many other centers in the area.

Surgeons at Advocate use this breakthrough technology to treat a number of conditions, including:

• Atrial septal defects
• Mitral valve disease
• Coronary artery disease
• Reflux disease
• Lung and esophageal cancers
• Prostate, bladder and kidney cancer
• Uterine fibroids
• Uterine and vaginal prolapse
• Urologic problems

How it works

The da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System features tireless arms inserted through 1-2 centimeter incisions along with a small camera that provides three-dimensional views. The system gives surgeons greater precision, better than perfect vision and access to areas of the body not reachable with conventional techniques.