Robotic Surgery

In 2002, Parkridge Health System was first in the region to offer patients the benefits of robotic surgery at its Parkridge Medical Center campus. In 2008, Parkridge became the only hospital system in the Chattanooga area to offer robotic surgery at two locations when physicians at Parkridge East Hospital began performing surgery using the da Vinci robotic Surgical SystemTM.  Parkridge Health System continues to lead the way today, with over eight years of experience and more than 1,400 procedures performed to date. Robotic surgery means smaller incisions, shorter recovery times, and overall better clinical outcomes for our patients.

What happens during robotic surgery?

During robotic procedures, a surgeon sits at the da Vinci Surgical System^TM console a few feet away from the patient. The surgeon uses the system’s controls to operate a tiny camera called a laparoscope that creates a three-dimensional image of the surgical field.

The surgeon also controls several electro-mechanically enhanced instruments which enter the body through tiny ports, or openings, made in the skin. These mechanical "hands" allow the surgeon to perform delicate surgical procedures, thanks to the technology’s ability to translate the surgeon's movements into precise, real-time movements of the instruments actually operating on the patients.

With nearly all of the natural movements of a human wrist, the robotic system eliminates natural hand tremors and improves dexterity. The result is surgery with less blood loss, less recovery time and less injury to surrounding tissues.

Quick Facts

• Robotic technology allows very complex surgeries to be performed in a minimally invasive manner 
• Unlike human hands, the robot is completely free of even the slightest tremor - important when conducting delicate microsurgery 
• The robot can scale down movement with a ratio of five-to-one which allows tremendous accuracy 
• The robot scope allows ten times the magnification of the human eye

Our Physicians Who Specialize in Robotics