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Glossary
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An adrenalectomy is the surgical removal of one or both adrenal glands. The procedure can be performed using an open incision or laparoscopic technique. The adrenal glands are endocrine glands located above each kidney. Malignant or benign tumors in the adrenal gland are the most common conditions requiring adrenalectomy. Some adrenal gland tumors excrete hormones. If left untreated, these tumors can cause severe hormonal imbalances.
Anastomosis
A connection between two tubular anatomic structures (e.g., coronary vessels and intestinal structures).
Atrial Septal Defect
The septum is a wall that separates the heart's left and right sides. Septal defects are sometimes called a "hole" in the heart. A defect between the heart's two upper chambers (the atria) is called an atrial septal defect (ASD).
Pertaining to weight (from the same root as in barometer -- measuring the "weight" of air), the aim of bariatric surgery is to reduce weight, including "morbid" or "clinically severe" obesity, in patients.
Surgical removal of the gall bladder. Traditionally, the surgery is carried out through an incision in the right side of the upper abdomen. More recently the surgery has been carried out laparoscopically or robotically, employing 3 or 4 small incisions.
Colectomy
Surgical removal of part or all of the colon, performed to treat various conditions, including cancer, diverticulitis (inflammation of a herniation in the intestinal tract), inflammatory bowel disease, volvulus (abnormal twisting of the intestine causing obstruction) and fistulae (an abnormal duct or passage in the intestinal tract).
Coronary Bypass
Also known as revascularization or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), coronary bypass is a surgical procedure that restores blood flow to the heart beyond a blockage in a coronary artery. Coronary bypass reroutes the blood around the blockage, creating an alternative pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle.
A small tubular lens device, usually attached to a video monitor, and video camera, and used to visualize the inside of the body.
Endoscopy
The use of a telescopic viewing device inserted into a body cavity via a small incision together with specialized surgical tools, enabling the surgeon to see the inside of the body cavity on a television screen and identify and repair the defect. Endoscopy is often done to diagnose gastric ulcers, locate the source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and examine the lower esophagus, stomach and lower colon.
A weight-loss procedure performed by bariatric or general surgeons that utilizes stapling, suturing and other surgical techniques to create a very small stomach pouch, severely restricting the amount of food that can be consumed at one time. The rest of the stomach is bypassed and therefore no longer receives food.
Haptics (pronounced HAP-tiks) is the science of applying touch (tactile) sensation and control to interaction with computer applications. (The word derives from the Greek haptein, meaning "to fasten.") By using special input/output devices (such as joysticks or data gloves), users can receive feedback from computer applications in the form of felt sensations in the hand or other parts of the body. In combination with a visual display, haptics technology can be used to train people for tasks requiring hand-eye coordination, including surgery.
Heller Myotomy
Surgical treatment of esophageal achalasia (failure of the esophagus to relax) by longitudinal division of the lowest part of the esophageal muscle down to the submucosal layer; some muscle fibers of the cardia may also be divided.
A type of endoscope consisting of an illuminated tube with an optical system.
Laparoscopy
A type of surgery using a laparoscope, which is inserted into one or more small incisions, to examine the abdominal cavity. This technique uses small cylindrical tubes called trocars.
Minimally Invasive Surgery (also known as MIS, minimal access, keyhole surgery, laparoscopic, or endoscopic surgery) is a major advance in bringing to patients the excellent results of traditional surgical procedures, while eliminating the most physically and emotionally traumatic elements: the pain and lengthy recovery from "open" surgery.
Minimally invasive surgery means having a minimum of interference with the patient's normal physiological function. Advances in laparoscopic surgery allow surgeons access to complex patient anatomy through very small incisions instead of the large incisions associated with conventional "open" surgery. Patients experience less pain and shorter recovery times.
Mitral Valve Repair
A heart procedure to treat stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (leakage) of the mitral valve. The mitral valve is the "inflow valve" for the left side of the heart.
Laparoscopic procedure developed for management of acid reflux or chronic heartburn, also known as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). The procedure consists of wrapping the stomach around the lower 4-6cm of the esophagus and suturing the stomach in place.
Cutting the skin and tissues during surgery to expose a full view of the structures and organs involved in the procedure. Surgeons work under direct visualization with full incision.
A tiny (1-2 cm) incision, into which a cannula (hollow, rigid tube) is inserted to act as a conduit for an endoscope or minimally invasive surgical instruments.
Prostatectomy or radical prostatectomy
Removal of the prostate to treat prostate cancer.
An operation to remove the spleen.
Surgical removal of the thymus gland. The thymus has been demonstrated to play a role in the development of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG). It is removed in an effort to improve the weakness caused by MG, and to remove a thymoma (a usually benign tumor of the thymus), if present.
Refers to the sense of being inside the body, or present at the operative site, which the surgeon typically experiences while using the da Vinci System. Seated at the console, the surgeon is able to look into the video display and see a high-resolution, 3-D image of the surgical field, with hands and instruments in a natural line of sight – brighter and clearer than it would even appear in open surgery. 3-D visualization that allows eye-hand instrument alignment and coordination promotes maximum immersion at the surgical site, eliminating the spatial disorientation and disconnected hand/eye coordination inherent in traditional laparoscopic technology.ddd