Robotically Assisted Preparation of an Internal Mammary Artery for Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
VIEW THE ARCHIVED WEBCAST
On Monday, Oct. 14, 2002, the nation's first live surgical webcast of a robotically assisted heart surgery took place at MeritCare Health System, Fargo, N.D. The webcast will be available for viewing by the public anywhere in the world. This will give the public an unprecedented, first look at robotically assisted surgery in action. (MeritCare is one of a handful of healthcare institutions in the nation to broadcast a live, surgical webcast and is the first in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.)
The surgery was performed by MeritCare cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Roxanne Newman, M.D., and was broadcast live, via webcast on Oct. 14 at 5 p.m., CDT. MeritCare cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Ajit Damle, M.D., fielded questions that were submitted via an e-mail link during the live webcast.
So far, due to FDA approval requirements, MeritCare heart surgeons have only used the robot to assist with small surgical steps within larger heart procedures. The robotically assisted portion of the surgery will be the preparing of an internal mammary artery for coronary artery bypass surgery. Currently, MeritCare heart surgeons use the robot three-to-four times a week for this procedure.
Printable information about the webcast. 
This program funded, in part, by an educational grant from Medtronic, Inc.
Watch the archived broadcast
Click here to watch the archived version of the procedure; CME credit is available until Oct. 14, 2003.
Students: Thanks for your help
Thanks for all your great suggestions in the Name the Robot contest. We had almost 400 entries and lots of great ideas. Be sure to tune into the webcast on Oct. 14 at 5 p.m. to see the robot in action, find out its name and learn who won!
About the Robot
The robot is called the da Vinci Surgical System. It is the industry leader in operative robotic surgery and the first system approved by the FDA to perform surgery. It is used in general, urologic and gynecologic surgery; most recently, it was approved for use in heart procedures. MeritCare is one of 68 medical centers across the country using the da Vinci system.
Find out more.
About the Procedure
Approximately 375,000 bypass surgeries are performed each year in the United States. At MeritCare, heart surgeons last year performed over 600 heart surgeries.
Find out more.
Meet the Team
Find out more about cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons Dr. Roxanne Newman and Dr. Ajit Damle and the team that will be involved in the live webcast.
Find out more.
About MeritCare Heart Center
Find out about our physicians, the number of procedures we do each year and the new facility.
Find out more.