Robot Doctors 2016: Gynecology Surgeon In NYC Hospital Is A Machine

Patients at the Elmhurst Hospital in New York City could see an additional doctor in the room when undergoing a non-invasive procedure. The hospital has added a robot called the da Vinci to the surgical staff, DNA Info reported Wednesday.

The medical robot is made up of four arms that allow it to make small incisions and capture 3-D high definition views inside of the body. The use of the robot is also supposed to result in less pain for patients and lower their risk of infection.

Some of the procedures the da Vinci robot has already preformed include a hysterectomy, a myomectomy, a single-site hysterectomy and a sacrocolpopexy — also known as a uterine or vaginal vault prolapse. "Women who in the past would have been hospitalized for a week are now able to go home in a day,” Dr. Barry Brown, Elmhurst’s Director of OB/GYN Services, said.

The da Vinci Robot, which was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration for hospital use back in 2000, is actually controlled by a human surgeon. During the procedure, the surgeon sits in a different room at a special console that controls the robot's arms and hands. "Robotic surgery has several important benefits, including faster recovery times and less blood loss," Brown stated.

The machine can also be used to operate on pelvic issues and remove cancerous or benign tumors from the uterus. “We’re excited about being able to expand the use of the da Vinci robot to help women seeking treatment for gynecological cancers and other conditions,” Brown added.

The hospital previously used an earlier version of the machine to operate on urologic disorders. However, the updated version allows it to be used in gynecology field.

Elmhurst Hospital is the first one in New York City to install the da Vinci robots.