The winners of the Name the Robot Contest are pictured in front of the da Vinci robot. Pictured from L-R, front row: Nolan Nobinger, Jackson Dossey, Louis McGraw, Bailey Wilkerson, Braylea Prince, Annabella Rose Griffin, Brayden Vanderburg, Ethan Thomas, Savannah Bischoff; second row: Betsy Karr, surgical services director; Urologist Lars Erik Walllin, III, MD, robotic surgery medical director; Sissy Warnick, Kathy Atkins and Madison Clements; Third row: William Smith, MD, chief medical officer and John Buress
CULLMAN – Cullman Regional recently announced its acquisition of the da Vinci Xi surgical robot, building towards its promise of providing the residents of Cullman and its neighboring communities with a sophisticated, modern facility that offers cutting edge, high-quality healthcare services to its patients.
The hospital hosted a “Name the Robot Contest” where anyone in the community could submit their idea for the robot’s name. After receiving more than 500 entries, the Robotics Team at Cullman Regional decided to name the da Vinci robot, Leonardo, or “Leo.” Sixteen people chose the name Leo and had the opportunity to get their picture made with robot, as well as a chance “operating” the robot themselves.
“We were amazed by the overwhelming response of entries we received,” said Lindsey Dossey, vice president of marketing and community outreach. “We had so many creative submissions and appreciate everyone who participated in the contest.”
Urologist Lars Erik Wallin, III, MD, robotic surgery medical director, also gave an overview of robotic surgery and provided a demonstration for the winners and their families. The da Vinci robotic surgical system will provide minimally invasive surgical options for patients who have prostate, kidney, bladder or colon cancer, as well as those in need of hernia repair, bariatric surgery or gynecological procedures.
"We can now provide a minimally invasive surgical approach for a wide range of patients and surgical complexities," said Wallin. "Gone are the days of a long painful recovery from an open traditional surgery; our patients now can take advantage of this state-of-the-art robotic surgery system and undergo the most complex surgeries which require only a couple tiny incisions that are only one-third of an inch in size."
Wallin continued, "The techniques available with the da Vinci robotic surgical system result in significantly reduced post-operative pain, very small incisions, little to no blood loss, improved recovery time and a less aggressive opioid pain medication regimen – an important consideration. We can typically send patients home the morning following a robotic procedure."
For more information about robotic surgery at Cullman Regional, visit www.cullmanregional.com.
