Robotic Surgery & Robotic Urology

What is Robotic Surgery? How is robotic surgery used in Robotic Urology - Urology? What are the advantages of robotic surgery?

Prof. Dr. Fatih Atug completed his robotic urologic surgery fellowship during 2004-2006 in Tulane University Health Sciences Center, Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery department, which is one of the few fellowship centers in the USA regarding the field. He collaborated here with the Department Head Prof. Dr. Raju Thomas, Prof. Dr. Rodney Davis and Assoc. Prof. Eric Castle, who carries on his work at Mayo Clinic, Rochester. For his committed and successful work at this Center, where numerous specific prostate, bladder and kidney surgeries are performed and which is one of the medical faculties that performed robotic surgery for the first time in the United States, Tulane University Department of Urology conferred Dr. Fatih Atug upon “The Most Successful Urologist of the Year” award in 2006 at a ceremony organized by the Faculty of Medicine.

Completed his robotic urology fellowship in 2006 with the studies he conducted with Prof. Dr. Thomas Ahlering in University of California Department of Urology, Dr. Fatih Altug has also proven his academic success at an international level with the chapters he wrote as a guest author to the most prestigious books written in the field of robotic urology in the United States.

Click for detailed information on the robotic surgery fellowship of Prof. Dr. Fatih Atug

In this first half of the 21st century, starting to use robotic systems in surgeries has been an exciting and crucial technological development. NASA pioneered the development of such systems in 1970s, with the idea of treating an astronaut in space by means of a system controlled with a remote control if they got sick in space. Based on this idea, the prototype of da Vinci robotic system came out in 1997 and was approved by the FDA in 2000.

Robotic surgery is used mainly in the following urologic surgeries: Radical prostatectomy, Pyeloplasty, Psoas hitch, Boari flap, Ureteral reimplantation, Radical cystectomy, Ileal neobladder, Donor nephrectomy, Adrenalectomy, Radical and Simple Nephrectomy, Partial nephrectomy, and Sacrocolpopexy. Among available robotic systems, da Vinci^® Si robotic surgical system is the most advanced and most commonly used robotic system.

Da Vinci^® Si Robotic Surgical System

Da Vinci^® Si Robotic surgical system consists of an ergonomically designed surgeon’s console, a unit that has robotic arms, a 3D optical system, and surgical instruments that allow for movement up to 540 degrees.

Da Vinci^® 3 Dimensional Camera

Standard Laparoscopic images are provided by a single camera and are available as 2-dimensional images. These look like the images displayed on a household television with no sense of depth. Da Vinci® robotic surgical system, on the other hand, features two high-definition fiber optical cameras that provide separate images for each eye. Thus, the surgeon sitting at the surgeon’s console is provided with a 3-dimensional view with depth perception just as the view of our eyes. In addition, these cameras can enlarge the operation area 10-12 times. High Definition, the most advanced version of this system, is available onlu in Va Vinci Si robotic surgical system. As a result, this system gives the surgeon a sense of depth during the surgery, providing a more detailed and clearer view of the area of operation and the anatomy.

Da Vinci^® Surgical instruments

Robotic Surgical instruments are tools that feature 7-degree free movement. The tips of these instruments can rotate 540 degrees around their own axis and imitate the wrist movements of human hand. However, these instruments are much smaller than human hand, accessing areas that a human hand cannot reach.

EndoWristÂ^® & Surgeon Hands Surgical Console

The surgical console allows the surgeon to sit comfortably, get a 3-dimensional view of the area of surgery, and control the robotic instruments. Contrary to open and laparoscopic surgeries, this system allows the surgeon to perform the operation while seated. This way, the surgeon can perform even the longest operations without getting tired.