Robotic Surgery: Medicine or Marketing?

An Ethical and Clinical Exploration of the Pros & Cons of Robotic Surgery

PHILADELPHIA, June 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Robotic surgery -- is it truly an advance for modern medicine, or just a product of slick consumer advertising campaigns and targeted marketing to physicians?

Advocates say robots help surgeons perform surgery with greater access, visibility and precision all which reduce pain and blood loss, shortening hospital stays and ultimately getting patients back to work and on with their lives more quickly.

Critics claim that despite its rapidly increasing growth and popularity, there isn't adequate solid scientific research to show robotic surgery is any better -- or any more effective -- of a treatment than open surgery or laparoscopic surgery.

WHAT: Join us for a media seminar and expert panel to explore the pros and cons of one of the hottest and most hotly contested approaches to modern surgery -- remote and minimally invasive surgery through the use of robots -- from surgical, ethical and financial perspectives.

Tour and demonstration of state-of-the-art "augmented reality" 3-D robotic operating and teaching suite at Pennsylvania Hospital One of the first on the east coast, this new system interfaces with surgical robots, enabling the entire OR team to view and operate in 3-D along with the robotic console surgeon.

Guests will have the opportunity to sample use of the robot. Please be prepared to don "bunny suits" bonnets for OR tour.

WHO:  Key Speakers:

* Jonathan D. Moreno, MD

David and Lyn Silfen University Professor of Medical Ethics

Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) Professor

Department of Medical Ethics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania

Author and Co-Editor of Ethical Guidelines for Innovative Surgery (University Publishing Group, 2006)

* Daniel Eun, MD

Assistant Professor of Urology in Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Penn Urology at Pennsylvania Hospital

Additional Panel Participants for Q & A:

* John Y.K. Lee, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Medical Director, Gamma Knife Center, Penn Neurosurgery at Pennsylvania Hospital

* Jason G. Newman, MD

Assistant Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, University

of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Director, Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Research Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Penn Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital

* William C. Welch, MD, FACS, FICS

Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Chief of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital

WHEN: Thursday, June 17th, 2010

12:30 PM - Lunch will be served and available throughout discussion

1:00 PM - Presentation/discussions begin

1:25 PM - Q & A

1:45 PM - Tour of 3-D Robotic Surgery Suite

WHERE: Pennsylvania Hospital*

Great Court, Ground Floor, Pine Building**

801 Spruce Street

Phila.,  PA  19107

* Discounted garage parking is available on Delancey St. between 7th & 8th Sts.

** Please enter via the main hospital entrance on 8th St. between Spruce and Pine and check in at the Information Desk.

HOW: New! Streaming video webcast - now available. A recording of the event will also be available on demand. To sign up for webcast, please e-mail Lee-Ann Landis at [email protected]

Please register to attend in person: by contacting Olivia Fermano at

[email protected].

For all other questions, please call:  (215) 349-5653.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $3.6 billion enterprise.

Penn's School of Medicine is currently ranked #3 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools, and is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $367.2 million awarded in the 2008 fiscal year.

Penn Medicine's patient care facilities include:

*   The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - the nation's first teaching hospital, recognized as one of the nation's top 10 hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

*   Penn Presbyterian Medical Center - named one of the top 100 hospitals for cardiovascular care by Thomson Reuters for six years.

*   Pennsylvania Hospital - the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751, nationally recognized for excellence in orthopaedics, obstetrics & gynecology, and behavioral health.

Additional patient care facilities and services include Penn Medicine at Rittenhouse, a Philadelphia campus offering inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient care in many specialties; as well as a primary care provider network; a faculty practice plan; home care and hospice services; and several multispecialty outpatient facilities across the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2009, Penn Medicine provided $733.5 million to benefit our community.

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM).  For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine