The first surgery in the Valley using the new da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system was performed September 15 at Abrazo Health’s West Valley Hospital.
West Valley Hospital in Goodyear is the only hospital in the Phoenix metropolitan area that has the da Vinci Xi, which is designed to offer patients minimally invasive procedures and faster recovery from a variety of surgeries.
The new technology provides advanced robotic technology including high-definition, 3-D visualization. It also allows for enhanced dexterity and greater precision and control for the surgeon.
Dr. Miles Howard, an OB-GYN affiliated with West Valley Hospital, performed the first hysterectomy with the da Vinci Xi surgical platform in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
He is among several surgeons on staff at West Valley Hospital who are trained to use the new Xi platform of da Vinci. Dr. Rama Muddaraj, a general surgeon on staff at West Valley Hospital, is scheduled to do the first general surgery procedure with the new da Vinci Xi surgical platform this week. He has been doing robotics surgery since 2012.
Howard, who has done more than 100 robotic procedures, said that the da Vinci Xi provides many advantages over earlier robotic surgery platforms.
For example, he said the endoscope can be used on any of the four arms and the Xi can be docked at different angles providing easier access to the patient and more flexibility for surgeons.
“Robotic surgery may result in less pain, less bleeding, less complications and a shorter hospital stay,’’ Howard said.
Purchasing this technology solidifies West Valley Hospital’s commitment to the healthcare of residents of the West Valley, said Dr. Pankaj Jain, a urologist affiliated with West Valley Hospital, who has done robotic surgeries since 2004.
”West Valley Hospital continues to advance the level of medical care in the region by purchasing some of the latest in robotics technology,’’ Jain said. “With this technology, my colleagues and I will be able to do even more types of complex surgeries with smaller and fewer incisions.”
Stan Holm, chief executive officer for West Valley Hospital, led the effort to bring the daVinci Xi to West Valley Hospital. “The da Vinci Surgical System provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, putting a surgeon’s hands at the controls of an advanced robotic platform.”
“The use of robotic-assisted surgeries continues to grow at a rapid pace, and West Valley Hospital is at the forefront of that growth. We are pleased to offer the da Vinci Xi Surgical System as part of our continued efforts to offer significant surgical advancements to our patients,” he added.
Surgeons with privileges at West Valley Hospital can perform many different types of robotically assisted procedures including prostatectomy, kidney and bladder surgery and gynecological procedures such as removal of ovarian tumors and other cancers and pelvic prolapse surgery, Holm said.
