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Robotic surgery is one of the primary areas of emphasis at Washington Urology.
The surgeons at Washington Urology are some of the most experienced physicians in the entire mid-Atlantic region in using the da Vinci robotic technology. Dr. Mordkin first became involved in robotic procedures in 2004, shortly after the device was approved by the FDA for use in the United States. Washington Urology’s surgeons have now performed hundreds of these robotic operations and routinely use the da Vinci robot for nearly all of the cancer surgeries that they perform, particularly in the surgical management of prostate cancer and kidney cancer. Dr. Mordkin and Dr. Joel routinely travel to other hospitals throughout the country to teach some of their specialized robotic skills and Dr. Mordkin serves as the Director of Robotic Surgery at the Virginia Hospital Center.
Robotic surgery utilizes an interface (the “da Vinci robot”) between the surgeon and very specialized surgical instruments. Traditional operations have long required surgeons to make incisions large enough to allow them to place their hands into the patient’s body. With the more recent advent of laparoscopy and subsequently, robotic techniques, these same operations can now be achieved through very small incisions, often no larger than the size of a dime. These “minimally invasive” or “keyhole”operations provide the same outcomes of the older operations yet offer improved intraoperative visualization, less blood loss, superior cosmetic results and dramatically reduced postoperative pain.
The robotic technology which has made these newer surgeries feasible is quite expensive. Only select hospitals such as the Virginia Hospital Center have been able to provide this advanced equipment, thus offering our patients access to the most superior and current treatment options available today.
Operations which are typically performed at Washington Urology using the da Vinci robot include: radical nerve sparing prostatectomy for prostate cancer, partial nephrectomy for kidney tumors, radical cystectomy for bladder malignancy and pyeloplasty for reconstruction of obstructed kidneys.
This video is courtesy of American Health Front.
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