Robotic equipment has NorthBay surgical teams on cutting edge – Fairfield Daily Republic

FAIRFIELD Most people hope to unwrap some cool tech gadgets in the coming weeks, but the surgical staff at NorthBay Medical Center had a chance to unwrap one of the coolest new tech devices anywhere in the county a bit early and, after some final training, will begin sharing that technology with patients beginning in early December.

Four surgeons, as well as supporting surgical teams, have completed training on Intuitives da Vinci Surgical Platform, a robotic surgical platform that will allow NorthBay to engage in more complex procedures that have previously sent patients to places like Sacramento, Oakland and San Francisco.

Its really nice now for local families not to have to do that, said Dr. Herkanwal Khaira, a surgeon and director of the robotics program at NorthBay Medical Center. Its also nice for family members not to have to drive back home while their loved one is in the hospital far away.

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The da Vinci installed at NorthBay is Intuitives latest model and the first such device in any hospital in Solano County. In fact, Intuitives Kevin Van Raden said the next closest hospital to NorthBay with the same device was the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

The robotic platform offers surgeons a few important benefits that are available through laparoscopic procedures. Previously, surgeons have relied on a 2-D screen to manage a surgery taking place in a 3-D environment.

The da Vinci has a user interface that operates somewhat similarly to a virtual reality headset, offering surgeons a 3-D view of the surgical field, along with an advanced camera capable of zooming in to Abraham Lincolns face on the Lincoln Memorial depicted on the back of a common penny, or to read the writing above the top arch of the memorial on the back of a $5 bill.

Surgeons sit at the interface platform rather than stand over the operating table with the robotic equipment operating in real time according to everything the surgeon does at the nearby workstation.

Standing to perform surgical procedures for three to four hours, two to three times a day can take an ergonomic toll on surgeons, said Dr. Peter Zopfi, NorthBays chief of staff.

Zopfi, a surgeon who will undergo da Vinci training this spring, said the robotics platform is a great breakthrough for the hospital.

This isnt little ol Fairfield anymore, Zopfi said. Its going to be another groundbreaking advancement in care here in Solano County.

The robot allows surgeons greater access to areas like the pelvis, for example, where there are numerous critical vessels packed into a tight area.

Its almost better than real life, Zopfi said. Its really fantastic.

The surgical teams that have already been trained in the equipment have had to do so while logging a number of travel miles, according to Andrea Francis, the robotics surgical systems program coordinator at NorthBay.

Training includes observations at hospitals where similar surgeries are taking place, lab training at remote locations and simulator training. Current teams have trained for a month and a half, with ample input for proctors to supervise along the way.

With time and proficiency, that will allow us to incorporate more time schedules, Francis said. Were hopeful to eventually proctor our own surgeons.

The robotics platform will be initially used for urological and general surgical procedures, with gynecological procedures being added down the road. With time and additional training, along with the improved data transfer speeds offered by 5G Wi-Fi networks, the capacity for use is nearly limitless, Van Raden said.

Its a big commitment, Khaira said. Were hopeful that the excellence were able to develop with the program will spread around the region and people from outside the area will start to seek out NorthBay and choose to have their procedures performed here.

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Robotic equipment has NorthBay surgical teams on cutting edge - Fairfield Daily Republic