Mahaska Health Partnership Announces New Surgical Technology in Oskaloosa
Students from the Oskaloosa Middle School got some hands on time with the new da Vinci Xi Surgical System being implemented at Mahaska Health Partnership.
MAHASKA COUNTY – Mahaska Health Partnership recently acquired a da Vinci Xi Surgical System. This equipment represents the most advanced surgical robot available and furthers MHP’s mission to link the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care.
“Robotically- assisted surgeries are becoming the standard of care,” MHP CEO Jay Christensen stressed. “Patients expect it and new surgeons have used this technology in their training. We’ve been anticipating the addition of robotic technology since the initial design stages of our new patient care wing began in 2009.
“Our highly skilled surgeons are practicing in first rate facilities with a staff that consistently achieves greater than the 90th percentile rank for patient satisfaction. Everything is in place for the next stage of growth and we believe this latest da Vinci system was worth the wait.”
The da Vinci Xi Surgical System was introduced in 2014 and is the fourth generation of da Vinci, bringing together the accomplishments of previous models with new enhancements and functionality. “Some people may hear ‘robot’ and think a human is not operating on them,” Christensen said. “The da Vinci robot is merely a new tool in our surgeons’ arsenal used to treat patients in the most minimally invasive but effective way. The same doctors, nurses and staff are in the operating room just like traditional surgical procedures.”
With the da Vinci Surgical System, surgeons operate through just a few small incisions, sometimes only needing one. They maneuver the arms of the robot from a control panel where they see the area they’re operating on with a magnified, 3D high definition view. Through the use of specialized instruments, the surgeon’s hand movements are translated into smaller, more precise movements with tiny instruments inside the body.
MHP General Surgeon Tim Breon, MD, FACS, has previous experience with da Vinci. “I have done a lot of cases with older models of the da Vinci and I’m very excited for the advances they have incorporated into the Xi,” Dr. Breon stated. “The newer system is more flexible and can be used in multiple areas of the body at one time, which is typical for general surgery procedures.”
Christensen said MHP staff will be training on the da Vinci for the next couple of months before surgeries can begin. “Drs. Riggs and Breon have been da Vinci certified for a number of years,” Christensen explained. “We want our OB/GYN Specialist Dr. Jeffrey Fowler as well as all of our nurses to have plenty of time to learn this new system before it is fully installed.”
“Before I started operating with a da Vinci I completed class time, lab work and observations in Florida, Oklahoma and New Jersey,” Dr. Breon stressed. “I did 20 cases under observation before flying solo. It’s a very extensive training program which ensures surgical staff is well-
versed in this new technology to maximize everyone’s potential.”
“With the guidance of our two long-standing surgeons and our exceptional surgical team, we know the addition of this technology will only enhance the already outstanding surgical care provided at MHP,” Christensen added.
Mahaska Health Partnership, located in Oskaloosa, is a non-profit health system accredited by the Joint Commission. It is guided by its mission to provide exceptional customer service and health improvement, linking the science of medicine with the humanity of compassionate care. For more information about how Mahaska Health Partnership is making healthcare personal, call 641.672.3240 or visit www.mahaskahealth.org.
