Patient becomes ‘surgeon’ using robot technology

Irene Borovoy, 83, of Bayside became a “surgeon for a day,” when she was allowed to test drive the new da Vinci robot that was used during her surgery in early June.
Dr. Diana Contreras, director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the LIJ Medical Center, hosted the event and showed Borovoy some of the finer points of the highly-sophisticated, robotic surgical equipment.
A special technique was demonstrated, called the Minimal Invasive Surgery, which is intended to minimize large incisions during procedures and focus more on using small carvings, highly specialized equipment and tiny cameras or scopes to see inside the body and aid the surgeon during an operation.
During the event, Borovoy was able to use a laparoscope, which has a magnification 10 times greater than the human eye. The laparoscope enables surgeons to make small incisions with the tiny utensils of the da Vinci robot.
“It’s just amazing that I am using the machinery that made me well,” said Borovoy.
Minimal Invasive Surgery and the da Vinci robot are recommended by surgeons, due to the fact that they provide patients with less blood loss and pain, shorter stays at the hospital, quicker returns to normal activities and less need for medication.
The da Vinci machine provides surgeons with improved hand-eye coordination, increased ability with surgical tools, increased range of motion and enhanced visualization.
“This is the way surgery should be done on patients – state of the art technology, minimum pain, greatly reduced recuperation time. All in all, this is not your grandmother’s surgery,” said Contreas.