McKenzie-Willamette First in Region to Use Dual Surgical Console!

Springfield, OR, - McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center announced that it has become the first hospital in the region to use the Dual Console application for robotic surgery.

This week the dual console was used for the first time by three Oregon Medical Group physicians: Geoff Gill, M.D., Richard Lee, M.D. and Zena Monji, M.D. According to Geoff Gill, M.D., "The dual console has the ability to enhance both the patient and physician experience. By utilizing the dual console, I was able to perform surgery in collaboration with Dr. Monji on a complex hysterectomy and sacropoplexy, and during a separate surgery provided education to a colleague newly trained in robotic technology."

McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center (MWMC) introduced their robotic surgery program in 2006 and was the first hospital outside of Portland to offer robotic surgery to the community. Since that time, surgeons at MWMC have completed over 1,000 robotic-assisted gynecology, gynecologic oncology, and urology surgeries.

In late 2010, MWMC purchased the next generation of robotic technology, acquired a second robot, and became the only robotics program in the region to offer dual console technology. A dual console allows a second surgeon to provide a robotic-enabled assist during training or for more complex procedures. The control of the robotic instruments can be passed between surgeons without any interruption in the procedure.

During robotic surgery, the surgeon is seated at a console a few feet away from the patient and views an actual image of the surgical site while operating in real-time, through tiny incisions, using electromechanically-enhanced instruments. Patients undergoing this type of minimally invasive surgery may experience less pain, less blood loss, a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery and better clinical outcomes.