Hackensack University Medical Center continues to integrate the daVinci™ Surgical System into coronary artery bypass procedures. daVinci™ allows a surgeon to use a one-of-a-kind 3-D vision system to manipulate robotic arms and an endoscope to perform intricate surgical procedures.

Father John Judge, the pastor at St. Cassian Church in Upper Montclair underwent a double bypass procedure in June. daVinci™ was used to free the internal mammary artery during the surgery. Fr. Judge found the concept of the robot interesting and was very pleased with the results.
“Because they were able to use daVinci™ the procedure was much less invasive,” said Fr. Judge. “Within a month I was able to do all the things I was doing before.”

John Alexander, M.D. of Ridgewood, chief of cardiac surgery at the medical center, was the first to perform a robotic cardiac procedure in New Jersey and was the surgeon on Fr. Judge’s case. 

“With each coronary bypass surgery that uses daVinci™ we move one step closer to being able to perform this delicate procedure in an entirely minimally-invasive manner,” said Dr. Alexander.

With daVinci™, a surgeon sits at a control console which has a three-dimensional viewing system. The console allows the surgeon to position three robotic arms and precisely maneuver endoscopic instruments and an endoscope, and a variety of articulating EndoWrist™ Instruments. The EndoWrist™ Instruments are unique in that they are able to move 360 degrees, mimicking a surgeon’s own wrists – a technique not available with traditional laparoscopic surgery instruments.

“This technology is like nothing we’ve seen before,” said Richard Davies, M.D. of Saddle River, chairman of the Department of Surgery. “It will open up a world of possibilities for all types of surgery.”

Dr. Davies said like with any minimally invasive surgery the benefits – a shorter stay, a quicker recovery time – are directly related to the patient, as was the case with Father Judge.

“Hackensack University Medical Center has been designated by the FDA to train personnel from other hospitals for the entire eastern seaboard who will be acquiring the system for both general and cardiac surgery,” said Garth Ballantyne, M.D. director of Minimally Invasive Surgery at the medical center.

Renowned institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic, Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, and the University of Massachusetts have been part of the training classes. Other programs from Kyushu University in Japan to Ochner Clinic in New Orleans, as well as executives from the University of Pennsylvania have all made site visits.

daVinci™ is currently located in the medical center’s main operating room. Another system is located in the David Joseph Jurist Research Center for Tomorrows Children and is used solely for training and research purposes.
For more information about daVinci™ at Hackensack University Medical Center call (201) 996-2959.