FAQs
What is Minimally Invasive Surgery?
Minimally Invasive Surgery typically performed through small incisions, or operating ports, rather than large incisions. This can potentially result in:
- Shorter recovery times
- Fewer complications
- Reduced hospitalization costs
- Reduced trauma to the patient
While minimally invasive surgery has become standard-of-care for particular surgical procedures, it has not been widely adopted for more complex or delicate procedures.
What are the benefits of da Vinci Surgery compared with traditional surgery?
Some of the major benefits experienced by surgeons using the da Vinci Surgical System over traditional approaches have been greater surgical precision, increased range of motion, improved dexterity, enhanced visualization and improved access.
Not only do surgeons see benefits, but so do the patients. Some of these benefits include: a shorter hospital stay, less pain, less risk of infection, less blood loss, fewer transfusions, less scarring, faster recovery and a quicker return to normal daily activities.
Where is the da Vinci Surgical System being used now?
Currently, Timpanogos Regional Hospital is the only hospital in Utah County using the da Vinci Surgical System. One more reason we may not be bigger, but we are better.
Is da Vinci Surgery covered by insurance?
A da Vinci Surgery is categorized as robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, so any insurance that covers minimally invasive surgery generally covers da Vinci Surgery. This is true for widely held insurance plans like Medicare. It is important to note that your coverage will depend on your plan and benefits package.
What procedures have been performed using the da Vinci Surgical System? What additional procedures are possible?
The da Vinci System is a robotic surgical platform designed to enable complex procedures of all types to be performed through 1-2 cm incisions or operating "ports." To date, we've performed hundreds of procedures including general, urologic, and gynecologic procedures at Timpanogos Regional Hospital using the da Vinci Surgical System.
At Timpanogos Regional Hospital, the following procedures are currently being performed: prostatectomy, hysterectomy, nephrectomy, and fundoplication.
What is traditional "open" hysterectomy surgery vs. laparoscopic hysterectomy surgery?
Traditional open surgery, using a large (6-10”) incision on the belly, has been the standard approach for many years. The large incision creates space for the surgeon’s hands to have full freedom of movement. However, with open surgery, patients often experience significant pain, a 2-3 day hospital stay and up to six weeks for post-surgery recovery.
Laparoscopy, a relatively recent approach to hysterectomies, gives patients the benefits associated with a smaller incision, including shorter recovery time, less scarring and reduced pain. Special surgical instruments and a video camera are inserted into a patient’s body through 2-3 small incisions. The camera transmits a two-dimensional image of the internal organs onto a television monitor that a surgeon views while removing the uterus. The rigidity of the laparoscopic instruments poses some limitations, but this approach is a safe and effective option for routine, less complex hysterectomies.
What is traditional "open" prostatectomy surgery vs. laparoscopic prostatectomy surgery?
Traditional open prostatectomy – in which a 6-8 inch incision is made to access the prostate – has been the standard approach for many years. Common drawbacks of this procedure include significant post-surgical pain, the potential for substantial blood loss, and a lengthy recovery.
A less invasive surgical procedure called a laparoscopic prostatectomy eliminates the need for a large surgical incision to remove the prostate. Special surgical instruments and a video camera are inserted into a patient’s body through 2-3 small incisions near the belly button. The camera transmits a two-dimensional image of the internal organs onto a television monitor that a surgeon views while performing surgery.
Conventional laparoscopy relies on rigid instruments and standard two-dimensional video, presenting technical limitations for the surgeon. Accordingly, conventional laparoscopy doesn’t lend itself to complex procedures and few urologists use this approach for radical prostatectomies.
What is traditional "open" nephrectomy surgery vs. laparoscopic nephrectomy surgery?
Kidney surgery has traditionally been performed using an open approach. The surgeon removes the kidney through an 8-12 inch incision. This incision is usually made in the side of the body to allow the surgeon access to the kidney while only minimally disturbing other abdominal organs. However, depending on the reason for the nephrectomy and the health of the patient, the incision may be made in the front of the abdomen or in the back. Common drawbacks of open surgery include significant post-surgical pain, potentially substantial blood loss and a lengthy recovery.
Conventional laparoscopy is less invasive, but the design of the surgical instruments limits the doctor’s dexterity, visualization and control when compared to open surgery. In the laparoscopic approach, special, rigid surgical instruments and a video camera are inserted into a patient’s body through four small incisions made in the wall of the abdomen. The camera transmits a two-dimensional image of the internal organs onto a television monitor that the surgeon views while performing surgery. If the kidney is being removed for cancer, one incision must be enlarged to between 6 and 9 centimeters so that the kidney can be removed in one piece. Usually, this larger incision is next to the navel or, in women, along the bikini line in the lower abdomen.
