HACKENSACK, N.J., Mar. 10, 2008—Garth H. Ballantyne, M.D., chief of minimally invasive surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, and Robert Glenning, executive vice president and chief financial officer at the medical center, were interviewed recently by the New York Times for an article about da Vinci surgical robots. The article focused on the success of Intuitive Surgical, the company that produces the da Vinci.
Hackensack University Medical Center owns five da Vinci robots, which are used by Dr. Ballantyne, who specializes in the treatment of colorectal cancer at the medical center’s Cancer Center, and other surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures. The medical center is an East Coast training site for physicians to learn how to operate using the da Vinci.
“The da Vinci enables us to perform intricate minimally invasive procedures more precisely, which in turn often leads to a better surgical outcome than traditional laparoscopic or ‘open’ surgery,” says Dr. Ballantyne. “Because these procedures are minimally invasive, there are smaller incisions and that results in less pain, less chance of infection, and a quicker recovery for our patients.”
To use the da Vinci, Dr. Ballantyne and other surgeons sit at a computerized console that is in the operating room several feet away from the patient. The surgeon uses special instruments and cameras to control the robots’ movements. The robot does not operate independently but instead translates the surgeon’s movements to perform the procedure.
“Our urologists, surgical oncologists, and gynecologic oncologists at The Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center have pioneered the use of the da Vinci robot to treat various types of cancer, including prostate, bladder, colorectal, and gynecologic cancers,” says Andrew L. Pecora, M.D., chairman and executive administrative director of The Cancer Center. “Robotic procedures have revolutionized the treatment of many types of cancers. Our urologists use the da Vinci almost exclusively to perform radical prostatectomy, which because of the da Vinci’s precision, can significantly reduce the risk of incontinence or impotence after removal of the prostate gland.”
The Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is New Jersey’s largest and the one ranked the best cancer center in the state by New York magazine. The Cancer Center focuses on transforming cancer care by offering multidisciplinary care, personalized treatment, innovative research, superior outcomes, and patient satisfaction within 14 disease-specific, treatment, or research divisions. For more information about The Cancer Center, call 201-996-5900 or visit www.humc.com.