Utilizing the da Vinci surgical system, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital has become a regional leader in robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgeries. Named for the Renaissance artist and inventor whose lesser-known designs included plans for a mechanical robot, the da Vinci system acts as a remote-controlled, high-tech tool for operating in tight spaces in the human body.

Using the da Vinci system, the surgeon sits at a console several feet away from the patient. A camera inside the patient sends back a three-dimensional image. The surgeon manipulates special sensors that are wired to the robotic instruments that are actually inside the patient. The tiny robotic instruments mimic the surgeon's movements in real time. These very specialized instruments provide the surgeon with the control, range of motion, and manipulation experienced during an open surgery, using only the small ports of minimally invasive surgery. The surgeon's every movement is transmitted to the robotic hands inside the patient.

For patients with complex conditions who may not have tolerated an open procedure, the da Vinci system provides a new option. Doctors and researchers say technological devices like the robot translate into more precision, fewer errors, less chance of infection and quicker recovery times for patients.