ELMHURST — The robot doctor will see you now.
Elmhurst Hospital has added a robot to its surgical team, where it will be used to carry out non-invasive gynecological procedures, officials said this week.
The da Vinci robot, which was cleared for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, allows doctors to carry out surgeries through tiny incisions, using robotic extensions that offer 3-D high-definition views inside the body. The robot was installed at the hospital within the last few weeks, making it the city's first public hospital to use it.
“Robotic surgery has several important benefits, including faster recovery times and less blood loss," Dr. Barry Brown, Elmhurst’s Director of OB/GYN Services, said in a statement.
"Women who in the past would have been hospitalized for a week are now able to go home in a day.”
While the hospital has used an earlier version of the robot on urologic disorders, the new version will allow it to expand to gynecology, officials said.
It can be used to remove benign and cancerous tumors from the uterus as well as work on pelvic issues, officials said.
The robot will also result in less pain and risk of infection for patients, officials said.
