da Vinci Robotic Surgery

Manatee Memorial Hospital is the first in Manatee County to offer minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci® Surgical System robot.

The da Vinci® surgical system was developed by Intuitive Surgical® to provide an effective aternative to traditional "open" surgery that requires long incisions, and laparoscopic surgery that uses smaller incisions but is limited to simpler surgical procedures. The use of the da Vinci® surgical system helps minimize risk of infection, and helps speed recovery.

How Does robotic surgery Work?

During most robotic surgery procedures, the surgeon makes a series of tiny incisions (ports for instruments) in the body through which the da Vinci® robotic arms are inserted. The three robotic arms are inserted through the ports. One of the arms is a tiny video camera and the other two hold surgical instruments. Sitting at a computer console located about ten feet from the operating table, the surgeon views a three-dimensional image from inside the patient’s body. From the console, the surgeon controls the robotic arms that are inside the patient.

Surgeons at Manatee Memorial use the da Vinci® robot to perform minimally invasive procedures including:

• General Surgery >
• Gynecologic Surgery >
• Gynecology Oncology >
• Thoracic Surgery >
• Urologic Surgery >

Single-site™ robotic surgery—new at mmh

Surgeons at Manatee Memorial Hospital are now performing single-site robotic surgery using the daVinci® Surgical System. With new robotic technology, surgery is performed with just one precise incision through the bellybutton – less than one inch in length!

This minimally invasive technique helps alleviate discomfort for patients, reduces blood loss, shortens length of hospital stay, and minimizes scarring allowing for a quicker recovery.