Surgery is less invasive and allows for a faster recovery of the patient; more accurate, the equipment makes movement impossible for the human hand and causes less pain and bleeding
RIO – The São Luiz hospital, of Rede D’Or, in São Paulo, performed an innovative surgery on Monday 19, which is beginning to gain space in the reference units in Brazil: a kidney transplant between two living people (father and daughter) partially performed by a robot. The person in charge of the operation was the doctor Rodrigo Vianna, from the University of Miami, who came to the country for the operation. With the use of equipment, the previously complex procedure becomes increasingly simple and much less invasive.
The robot was used to remove the organ from the donor. Because the surgery is much less invasive than the procedure performed by humans, she felt little pain, just bled and was discharged the same day, a few hours after the procedure. The recipient was discharged on Wednesday 21. Experts expect a similar transplant to be performed in the next 30 days. But this time it will be done entirely by the robot, both the organ harvesting and the transplant.
In the not too distant future, with the stability of the 5G network, the procedure could also be done remotely. In the case of Rodrigo Vianna, for example, he could continue to operate on patients in Brazil without leaving Miami.
In the procedure with the Da Vinci robot, the doctor does not approach the patient. It is in the same operating room that he operates a kind of joystick that transmits instructions to the robot. The doctor monitors the intervention via video.
The Da Vinci improves the surgeon’s performance by providing wider movements. It reaches 360 degrees of rotation and allows a more precise actuation. 3D images with up to ten times magnification allow the physician to better visualize the anatomy of the vessels and organ structures.
In the procedure performed this week, the robot made a small incision in the patient through which he removed the healthy kidney with tweezers. According to experts, the interventions carried out by the robot are much more accurate than those carried out by human hands. This is the case with traditional surgery and also with laparoscopy. The kidney was then transplanted to the patient’s father, who was in the same operating room, but through traditional surgery.
In a conversation on Monday evening, just before returning home, Patricia Tamada, 34, said she was satisfied with the result of the surgery, which ended a few hours earlier. “I left the operating room not even ten hours ago, I have already eaten three meals. I feel no pain, I walk and I am ready to go home,” said the IT consultant.
Since 2018 kidney transplants with the Da Vinci robot have already been performed at the Pedro Ernesto Hospital, at the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Uerj), at CopaStar, da Rede D’Or, at the São Hospital Lucas. The three remain in Rio. The robot was also used at Hospital Brasília, in the Federal District, and at Hospital Felício Rocho, in Belo Horizonte. The technique is improved every day, making the surgery much faster and less painful.
“Due to the cost and complexity, it is not a very common intervention,” explains Rodrigo Vianna. “But in the case of transplants it brings many advantages. The robot arm, in addition to providing a much more precise cut (it makes movements that the human hand does not), does not exert pressure. With this the patient feels less pain and can be discharged soon. “, He says.
Patricia Tamada, with her father: “I left the operating room not even at ten, I’ve already had three meals. I don’t feel pain, I walk and I’m ready to go home”. Photo: Tiago Queiroz / Estadão
In 90% of cases, according to him, the donor can be discharged in less than 24 hours, without feeling pain in the incision and already walking. “In the traditional procedure, he is hospitalized for two or three days. This is a great incentive for organ donation,” adds the specialist.
Since the kidney is extracted from the robot with very precise cuts and practically without manipulation, even the transplant (even with the traditional surgical method) is less traumatic. In the case of this week’s surgery, the patient was discharged on Wednesday, just 48 hours after surgery.
“I never thought it would be possible to see a donation like this, the way I saw it today. We want to show that this technique already exists and is available in Brazil,” said nephrologist Bráulio Martins, Patricia’s doctor and his father, Mário Tamada, 61, suffering from chronic kidney failure. “The health insurance companies themselves can pay, it’s a patient’s right. Medicine should be for everyone, not favor the rich, so we’re showing that this technique is an option.”
Medical team that participated in the procedure in Sao Paulo. Photo: Tiago Queiroz / Estadão
The hospital has not reported the cost of the robotic procedure, but it is still more expensive than conventional surgery. However, with the significant reduction in the length of hospital stay for both the donor and the recipient and the consequent reduction in the risk of nosocomial infection, the procedure should become more accessible in a short time.
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Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
