Kettering Robotic Institute
Is Dayton’s First All-HD
Robotic Surgery Program

Nothing beats the remarkable clarity of High Definition video, and now surgeons at Kettering Medical Center are using HD to benefit our patients.

KMC recently added a DaVinci SI robotic surgical system, equipped with HD video capability. It became operational late last year around the same time the hospital updated its original DaVinci S system with HD video equipment. At a cost of $1.4 million, these improvements made Kettering the only all HD robotic surgery program in Dayton.

“We have more than 15 doctors who use the robotic surgery systems here, and they are all excited about the HD viewing which gives them much better image clarity during operations,” said Sandy James, RN, BSN, CNOR, robotic surgery team leader.

In the hands of a skilled surgeon, a robotic assistance unit offers a minimally-invasive means for surgery with less blood loss, reduced infection risk and faster recovery. It affords the surgeon greater dexterity, preciseness without tremor, access to difficult areas and image magnification. The addition of HD clarity further enhances the value of DaVinci.

This HD robotic improvement comes at the same time as Kettering is enhancing its robotic surgical offerings. Thomas Reid, MD, gynecology oncologist, will be doing procedures that are done nowhere else in Dayton as he addresses uterine, cervical and ovarian tumors. Dr. Safwat Zaki is currently the greater Dayton leader in robotic prostatectomies, and he and his partner, Dr. Scott Cohen, will be extending the DaVinci technology to surgeries of the kidney. Thyroidectomies will also be done in the near future at KMC.

Doctors rave about the overall expertise level of KMC’s robotic surgical teams and like the hospital’s first-assist nurses, team continuity and the overall experience. Meeting regularly to improve performance, this kind of team approach is quite unusual. It keeps the procedures on schedule and it is very much appreciated by the doctors who use DaVinci.

“I’m excited to be a part of the outstanding team collaboration at KMC, which continues to develop with both the motivated personnel support and the enthusiasm of our fine surgeons of all disciplines,” said Mike McCullough, MD, MBA, who has used DaVinci to perform dozens of minimally-invasive gynecologic surgeries.

Kettering introduced robotic surgery three years ago and has done well over 400 cases since then. Starting with prostatectomies and then moving into gynecological procedures, KMC has been steadily expanding its robotic surgery capabilities.

“Intuitive Surgical is always striving to improve its robotics. They are already developing systems that are suspended from the ceiling and systems that make possible very complicated surgeries with just one small incision,” said Walter Sackett, vice president for Clinical Services. “It’s an exciting time for robotic-assisted surgery, and KMC is committed to staying at the forefront of this technology.”



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