First robotic operation performed on a child at Helios Klinikum Pforzheim
First Da Vinci Robot Operation on a Child Revolutionizes Pediatric Urology
A nine-year-old child, Christopher Arias Saldivar, recently underwent a groundbreaking surgery at Helios Clinic Pforzheim. This was the first urological procedure with the DaVinci Xi Surgical System on a child, performed by Chief Physician Shu Fon Muna.
Christopher experienced severe abdominal pain after a football practice, prompting his parents to take him to the pediatric emergency room. Upon examination, it was found that one of his kidneys was significantly enlarged, and further investigation revealed a condition known as ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Given the urological nature of the condition, Dr. Kai Siedler, Chief Physician of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, and Shu Fon Muna, the Chief Physician for Urology and Pediatric Urology, were both involved.
The narrowed passage between Christopher's kidney and the ureter was causing urine to back up in the kidney, potentially leading to kidney pain, recurrent urinary tract infections, and reduced kidney function if left untreated. An operative intervention was deemed necessary to correct the narrowed area.
The DaVinci Surgical System, with its movable robotic arms and fine instruments, provided the precision needed to access the ureters without damaging surrounding tissue. The system also offered a visual representation that was over 10x magnified, allowing for greater accuracy during the procedure.
The use of the DaVinci Surgical System in pediatric urology represents a significant advancement. Robotic surgery offers benefits such as smaller incisions, better precision and control, reduced blood loss and infection risk, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery, and lower complication rates and improved surgical outcomes.
Helios Clinic Pforzheim has had the DaVinci Surgical Robot in interdisciplinary use since fall 2022. Christopher benefited from faster healing and barely visible scars due to the minimally invasive nature of the DaVinci procedure. Dr. Kai Siedler, who speaks Spanish fluently, bid Christopher farewell with a warm "Que te mejores!" (Get well soon). Three days after the procedure, Christopher was discharged from the hospital, marking a successful conclusion to this historic operation.
With this first Da Vinci robot operation on a child, advanced technology has been integrated into pediatric care, greatly enhancing the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive urological surgeries.
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