State-of-the-art surgical robot to join doctors’ sides at Queen’s

A state-of-the-art surgical machine will soon join the public ranks.

The Queen’s Medical Center is inviting residents to test Hawaii’s first surgical robot.

Robotic surgery has changed the way some operations are performed.

"So nearly every organ system can be operated on using the robot with less pain, smaller incisions, (and) quicker recovery time," said Dr. Cedric Lorenzo, from the Queen’s Medical Center.

The benefits don’t stop there. "And studies are showing less blood loss as well as cleaner dissection as well as better function remaining after the operation using robotics," Lorenzo said.

Now the robot that revolutionized the industry will go on a Roving Robot Tour of Oahu’s shopping malls.

This type of robot was the first used in the state to conduct minimally invasive surgery.

"Because you get to use these clampers and they look like robot arms and so it looks like you are in the future… It’s so fun and you get to move things around," exclaimed 10-year-old Jeremiah Apostol.

The da Vinci surgical robot costs $1.7 million and the second console, which includes a virtual reality training system, comes with a price tag of up to $2.3 million. These demonstration models will tour the island starting Monday.

"It’s a rare opportunity to get them because of our distance from the mainland and so we are making the most out of it by going to the different malls to get the most, you know, exposure possible, for the public to learn that, hey robotic surgery is here in Hawaii too," Lorenzo said.

The Queen’s Medical Center has done over 3,000 surgeries using the surgical robot.

They have over 35 surgeons trained to use the dynamic machine.

"I think by having this available to them out there where they can test drive it inspires a lot of people, but also to make them aware that you know here in Hawaii we have great care second to none in the nation."

Doctors and nurses will be on hand to chat with during the robot tour.

Apostol thinks it will "inspire people, because it’s so fun it’s like playing a video game."

The Roving Robot Tour will visit Windward Mall on April 9 from 4-8 p.m.; on April 11 it will go to Pearlridge Uptown, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.; and it will visit Kahala Mall from 3-7 p.m. on April 13.