Saint Joseph East Makes Strides in Minimally Invasive Surgery with New da Vinci Xi - Archived

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Saint Joseph East Makes Strides in Minimally Invasive Surgery with New da Vinci Xi

Lexington, Ky. (November 30, 2015)—With tools like the new da Vinci Xi surgical system at Saint Joseph East, a part of KentuckyOne Health, less is more. Decreased recovery time, less pain and smaller incisions are just three of the benefits of the new system, which is designed for more complex surgeries than previous generations of the da Vinci system. 

“The excitement around our da Vinci program has reached a new high with the addition of the Xi system,” said Mike Guiler, MD, gynecologist, director of robotic surgery at Saint Joseph East. “Surgery with the robotic approach allows for an alternative to open surgery that reduces complications and cost.”

The da Vinci system debuted 10 years ago and largely revolutionized minimally-invasive surgeries. Using a console, surgeons control in real-time the equipment being used on the patient, offering surgeons precision and vision far beyond what’s offered by the human body alone. The da Vinci system is named for the artist also known for having created the first robot.

The previous da Vinci system, known as the da Vinci Si, has been in use at Saint Joseph East since 2013 for a wide spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and is already popular among surgeons and patients. Saint Joseph East has experienced a 40 percent growth in the number of robotic surgeries there from 2013 through fiscal year 2015, according to Dana Brundon, director of surgical services at Saint Joseph East.

“This device changes patient outcomes,” Brundon said. “It’s state-of-the-art technology…It’s definitely something the market is interested in and patients are interested in having minimally invasive surgery. People need to get back to work and back to their lives.”

The new da Vinci Xi system was designed to further advance the technology used in minimally invasive surgery for complex diseases and conditions in gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac, and general surgery. Multi-quadrant surgery can now be performed without repositioning the system, an innovation long sought by surgeons who perform complex procedures.

“In addition to being able to access more areas of the body, the Xi utilizes fluorescent imaging that provides surgeons with enhanced and real-time visualization of vessels, blood flow and bile ducts,” said Josh Steiner, MD, chairman of the department of surgery and chief of bariatric surgery at Saint Joseph East. “It gives us more of a live picture of important anatomical details that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Ultimately, it improves the quality of care.”

While the system can be used for many procedures, its commonly used at Saint Joseph East for hysterectomies (removal of the uterus), nephrectomies (removal of all or part of the kidney) and prostatectomies (removal or all or part of the prostate). It’s also commonly used for colon cancer and bladder cancer procedures. To learn more about robotic surgery at Saint Joseph East, call 859.967.5000.

The da Vinci Xi is also in use at University of Louisville Hospital, part of KentuckyOne Health.

About KentuckyOne Health
KentuckyOne Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in the Commonwealth, has more than 200 locations including, hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes and home health agencies in Kentucky and southern Indiana. KentuckyOne Health is dedicated to bringing wellness, healing and hope to all, including the underserved.  The system is made up of the former Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s HealthCare and Saint Joseph Health System, along with the University of Louisville Hospital and James Graham Brown Cancer Center. KentuckyOne Health is proud of and strengthened by its Catholic, Jewish and academic heritages.