Advanced Robotic Surgery Comes to North Valley Hospital Patients
The newest arrival at North Valley Hospital is a four-armed superstar in surgical technology. By the end of January, surgeons at the Whitefish hospital will be able to offer their patients the most advanced technology for minimally invasive urological and gynecological procedures.
The da Vinci® Si HD ™ surgical system has benefits for both patients and surgeons. The robotic unit gives surgeons natural dexterity and range of motion far greater than their human hands and shows a highly magnified view. These advantages allow smaller incisions, less blood loss, faster recovery, minimal scarring, reduced pain, and ultimately greater comfort and safety for the patient.
“We are excited to see the da Vinci® Si HD ™ robot come to North Valley Hospital,” said Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Mirna Bowden, OB-GYN at Alpine Women’s Center. “Gynecologists across the country have been using this technology for complicated hysterectomies for several years with great results. In the past, we have referred patients to Missoula and Spokane for robot-assisted hysterectomies at their request. Until now, a surgery would require a big abdominal incision and two or three day hospital stay to recover. With the robot, a surgery now can be done through tiny incisions as an outpatient procedure. It's great to see North Valley Hospital become a center for advanced laparoscopic and robotic techniques."
The surgical unit arrived January 11. Initially, the da Vinci® Si HD ™ will be available for trained North Valley Hospital Urology and Gynecology surgeons to use. In the near future, General Surgery and Ear/Nose/Throat procedures will be added as training is completed.
“The decision to acquire this elite surgical unit is in keeping with the hospital’s philosophy of supporting the physicians’ practices with a vision of world-class healing. Not only will the da Vinci® Si HD ™ allow residents to stay close to home for their medical needs, it also will help recruit and retain notable surgeons that have experience working with robots during surgery,” said Donna Holland, RN, North Valley Hospital Surgical Services Supervisor.
The da Vinci® Si HD ™ Surgical System integrates 3D HD endoscopy and state-of-the-art robotic technology to virtually extend the surgeon’s eyes and hands into the surgical field. The system is the first da Vinci® Si HD™ in clinical service in the region to offer unparalleled 3D HD visualization, with a panoramic 16:9 aspect ratio.
“The da Vinci® Si HD™ System provides surgeons greater than twice the viewing resolution and 20 percent more viewing area. This means improved clarity and detail of tissue planes and anatomy–critical when performing delicate dissection or in reconstructive procedures,” Holland said. “In our experience, this has meant a better operation for the patient with reduced complications, hospital stays and recovery time.”
Dr. Jonathan Mercer, Urologist at Flathead Urology said: “I would like to commend the citizens of the north valley for building a state-of-the-art hospital and commend the Board of Directors for continuing to provide state-of-the-art technology.”
For more information, visit www.davincisurgery.com.
About North Valley Hospital:
North Valley Hospital is a private 501(c)(3), non-profit community Critical Access hospital governed by a Volunteer Board of Directors from the North Valley area. North Valley Hospital is the only hospital in Montana affiliated with Planetree. Planetree is a non-profit organization that provides education and information in a collaborative community of healthcare organizations, facilitating efforts to create patient-centered care in healing environments. North Valley Hospital receives no tax support for its services. North Valley Hospital serves Flathead and Lincoln counties with a focus on the north valley. Visit www.nvhosp.org or call 406-863-3500. |