Small cuts, big effect
July 2018
“Da Vinci X” System assists surgeons during lung and thoracic surgery / Robots provide three-dimensional views and great instrument mobility within the tightest spaces
The Thorax Clinic Heidelberg is one of the first lung specialty clinics in Europe where robot-assisted, minimally invasive procedures on the lungs, mediastinum and diaphragm can be performed daily. For these operations, the latest generation “Da Vinci X” surgical robot system is available to the Department of Surgery of the Thorax Clinic, led by Prof. Dr. Hauke Winter. “If surgery is needed, it should be precise and gentle,” says Prof. Winter.
The special advantages of the system: A three-dimensional overview and great mobility of instruments within the tight spaces enable precise and gentle surgery. The surgical robot transfers the surgeon’s movements in real time onto the instruments that are inserted within the chest through small tubes, sparing the patient a large incision. In operations supported by the “Da Vinci” system, decisions are always carried out by the man and not the machine. The robot does not perform independent movements, only the steps carried out by the hands of the surgeon.
About the Thorax Clinic
Thorax Clinic Heidelberg is one of the oldest and largest lung specialty clinics in Europe with over 100 years of history and 310 beds. As a maximum-care hospital, it has been a certified lung cancer center of the German Cancer Society (DKG) since 2009. The hospital is a founding member of the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg and works closely with the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Thorax Clinic Heidelberg provides care for lung and chest diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital.
Approximately 2,300 operations of the chest area are performed annually. All modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods are offered on-site and continually developed. As a partner of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), the Thorax Clinic is well integrated with cross-site collaboration in the fields of basic science and clinical research.
Further Information:
Thorax Clinic Heidelberg