Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery Among First in Nation to Perform Colorectal Procedures with EndoWrist® Robotic Stapler

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery at St. David's North Austin Medical Center recently became one of the first facilities in the nation to perform colorectal procedures using the new daVinci® EndoWrist® Stapler.

"This new robotic stapling platform provides surgeons with increased dexterity, autonomy and range of motion," Thomas Payne, M.D., medical director of the Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery, said. "This device underscores the Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery's commitment to providing patients with the highest level of surgical care using the most advanced technology."

The EndoWrist® Stapler is a robotic device, modeled after the human hand, that is used to sever and divide the bowel during colorectal surgeries. Similar to human tendons, the instrument's internal cables provide maximum responsiveness, allowing rapid and precise suturing, dissection and tissue manipulation. It is designed for colorectal, bariatric and general surgeries.

The Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery was selected to be among the first in the nation to use this new platform. Thiru Lakshman M.D., a colorectal surgeon with St. David's North Austin Medical Center and one of the few surgeons in the country selected to use this device on a trial basis, recently performed four procedures with the EndoWrist® Stapler. It will become available to physicians in other parts of the United States in the coming months.

The Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery at St. David's North Austin Medical Center was launched in March 2011. It features an educational epicenter teaching best practices for hospital leadership, surgeons and surgical teams involved in the delivery of robotic-assisted da Vinci surgery. The Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery is an international treatment, training and research center that combines excellence in robotic-assisted surgery and outcomes with education and training.

Media Contacts:
Lisa Candido and Kristin Marcum
Elizabeth Christian & Associates Public Relations
(512) 472-9599

SOURCE Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery