A big, open surgery at Phoenix Children’s or a minimally invasive procedure at a traditional hospital. That was often the choice given to parents.
“I think that is unfair,” says Michael Nguyen, MD, a urologist and director of robotic surgery at Phoenix Children’s. “Parents shouldn’t have to make that choice.”
Wanting kids to benefit from robotic surgery, he set about finding a way to bring the technology to the hospital. Thanks to funding from PCH50, a group of 50 community leaders who fundraise for the hospital, Phoenix Children’s purchased a da Vinci Surgical System, which is located at the Arrowhead campus. Nguyen and his team performed the first procedure using the surgical robot in March, ushering in a new era of care and innovation at Phoenix Children’s.
The da Vinci robot is currently utilized by urology and general surgery, with the goal of expanding to other pediatric specialties in the future. Robotic procedures use smaller incisions, resulting in less pain for kids and faster recovery. “This makes the experience less traumatic for them,” Nguyen says. “And the whole family can return to their normal activities faster.”
For PCH50, the funding decision was an easy one. “It was very clear to us. In addition to the benefits for kids, the da Vinci was an opportunity for the hospital to attract and retain incredibly gifted surgeons from across the country,” says Chris Hanrahan, managing partner at Chevelon Capital Management and PCH50’s mission officer. “This is the first surgical robot the hospital has ever had, and we’re very proud to have been a part of this process.”
Following a naming contest, the robot was named Sophia for a former patient of Nguyen’s.
“She had robotic surgery at an adult hospital,” he explains. “It was scary for her because she was in an adult pre-op area lying next to older people, with nurses accustomed to dealing with adults, then woke up in a hospital that wasn’t designed for children. That really pushed us to try to get the robot at Phoenix Children’s.”
- “This is the first surgical robot the hospital has ever had, and we’re very proud to have been a part of this process.”Chris HanrahanMission Officer, PCH50
Phoenix Children’s continues to train more surgeons on the da Vinci system with the goal of building the robotic surgery program and adding more surgical robots in time.
“We have made a commitment to the community to have the most advanced care for them here,” Nguyen says. “The robot shows our commitment to having the best for kids so that they don’t have to be afraid to come to the hospital to have surgery.”
