da Vinci unit arrives for duty at WRH
Anyone looking at the main entrance of Whitfield Regional Hospital Wednesday will have to be forgiven if he thought a rock star was about to make an appearance.
To the administration and staff at the hospital, it was.
“It’s a really big deal for us,” said CEO/Administrator Doug Brewer.
Instead of a flesh and blood celebrity, however, what entered the hospital was the da Vinci XI, the latest model of a robot assisted surgery unit available from Intuitive and one that will greatly expand the services available to WRH customers.
Dr. Quince Gibson will lead the surgical team using the da Vinci XI. He said there are a lot of patients waiting for the system to be set up and the staff to be trained. Plans are now for the first surgery using the machine to be May 3.
“This belongs to the people of Demopolis and the surrounding communities,” said Dr. Gibson. “This is their robot.”
Dr. Gibson had been using the da Vinci for more than five years before coming to WRH. His surgical team will receive training both on and off site before the system goes into use in Demopolis. They will receive technical support from the Intuitive team.
While Dr. Gibson initially will be the only surgeon stationed at WRH qualified to use the da Vinci unit, other surgeons from UAB will have access to it. In addition, it is expected draw qualified physicians from the area to perform surgeries at WRH.
“This is a new chapter for the hospital,” Brewer said. “We’ve had an incredible amount of interest” from other physicians who are interested in coming to WRH to conduct surgical procedures instead of having their Demopolis area patients travel to Tuscaloosa or Birmingham for surgery.
Initially the da Vinci XI will be used for chest and abdominal procedures such as colorectal surgeries, appendix and gall bladder removal and hysterectomies.
“You will end up with… four small, tiny incisions” instead of a long cut, explained Dr. Gibson. “You’re going to be back on your feet a lot faster.”
Hospital staff and visitors to WRH watched as the da Vinci XI emerged from its crate and was unwrapped. As it was unloaded from its truck, the crowd collectively held its breath as the machine was maneuvered onto the shaky lift, and then the onlookers cheered and clapped when it reached the ground.
Dr. Gibson had the honor of directing the machine through the hospital entrance and to its new home in the OR.
Last month Intuitive, the company providing the surgical system, set up a demonstration unit in the hospital lobby to answer questions and explain how the robot is used.