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Joseph K. Meunier, DO, a gynecological oncology specialist at the Sparrow Regional Cancer Center, is the first mid-Michigan physician to use the innovative da Vinci® robotic system to surgically treat gynecological cancers.
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved this leading edge laparoscopic treatment for hysterectomy surgery involving lymph node dissection. To gain hands-on experience in the procedure, Dr. Meunier underwent intensive training with expert surgeons.
“Ergonomically, the da Vinci® system offers so many advantages for the surgeon,” Dr. Meunier said. “Traditional laparoscopic surgery can be very cumbersome. Working at the da Vinci® console is much easier.”
In the da Vinci® system, the chief surgeon sits a few feet away from the patient viewing a three-dimensional image of the surgical field while manipulating the electro-mechanically enhanced instruments through tiny incisions. The surgeon's movements are transmitted into precise, real-time movements of the instruments actually operating on the patients. Another surgeon or nurse practitioner stands at the patient’s bedside to assist.
The da Vinci® system is robotic, but it cannot be programmed or make decisions on its own. It can, however, take the surgeon’s eyes and expertise inside the patient to perform very precise and delicate surgical procedures.
Surgery using the da Vinci® robotic system provides the surgeon with a three-dimensional view, allowing for more precise movements and minimal trauma to surrounding tissue. The patient's pain and blood loss is minimized, and recovery time in the hospital and home is significantly reduced if not eliminated. In addition, the procedure does not require the large incision used in traditional surgery.
“Patients can expect faster recoveries and less pain related to surgery,” said Dr. Meunier. “Most hysterectomy patients can go home after a one-day stay rather than spending three to five days in the hospital.”
The only gynecological oncology specialist in mid-Michigan to hold certification by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Meunier specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all gynecologic malignancies, including cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers as well as symptom control and palliative care.
Dr. Meunier believes the da Vinci® system will enjoy a bright future in his specialty and many others.
“The da Vinci® system allows us to perform procedures with much smaller incisions, and the result is less surgical injury to tissue, lower risk of infection, faster discharge and recovery, and better outcomes," Dr. Meunier said. “I’m very excited about its potential to help us provide the best care for our patients.”
Breaking new medical ground with hysterectomy surgery today, Dr. Meunier plans to expand his use of the da Vinci® system to surgically treat endometrial and cervical cancers.
The Sparrow Regional Cancer Center offers the region’s most comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services. Services provided by board-certified physicians include gynecological oncology, hematology for benign blood and coagulation disorders, medical oncology and state-of-the-art radiation and chemotherapy.
The Clinical Trials Office offers the latest National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials, bringing advanced therapies for cancer prevention and treatment to Sparrow patients.
For more information about the Sparrow Regional Cancer Center, call 1.888.7WE.HEAL or visit www.sparrowcancercenter.org.
Since Sparrow’s da Vinci® robotic surgical system debuted in 2005, the $1.2 million, state-of-the-art surgical device has been used for a range of surgical procedures.
Prostate surgery was among the first procedures performed at Sparrow using the da Vinci® system. December 2005 heralded Michigan’s first robot-assisted pediatric urology surgery. Dr. Joseph Meunier performed the first hysterectomy using the da Vinci® system in April 2006.
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