Robotic surgery also has gynecological and general surgery benefits
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Although the da Vinci surgical system is currently being used only for prostate cancer, bladder and kidney operations, the future potential of this man-and-machine combination is limitless, said T. Casey McCullough, DO, a board-certified urologist on the Backus Medical Staff.
"We believe that there will be at least one robot in every hospital OR in the future," he said. "The future is now at Backus."
Backus is the only hospital in eastern Connecticut with the da Vinci robotic surgical system and a fellowship-trained surgeon to use it.
Dr. McCullough said the investment in the robotic surgical system and his training is an important part of the future of treatment at Backus.
Approximately 16% of American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. The estimated 300,000 new cases per year will continue to increase with the aging baby boomer generation.
Robotic-assisted surgery accounted for 65% of all prostatectomies performed in 2007 in the United States, he said.
The next group of doctors being trained to use the technology at Backus are gynecologists. The robotic system can be used to perform hysterectomies, myomectomies and sacrocolpopexies.
General surgeons across the country also use it, and Mark Tousignant, MD, a general surgeon on the Backus Medical Staff who specializes in minimally invasive procedures, has started training to use the system for colon surgeries.