Surgeons at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have performed the nation's first Zeus® robotics system-assisted gastric bypass surgery.

Zeus, manufactured by Computer Motion, is a multi-armed, highly evolved robotic system for computer-enhanced surgery.

The patient undergoing the procedure was released from the hospital just three days after surgery and went back to work the following week.

"I can't believe how good I feel," said Kim Kishi, a floral designer. "I had the operation on Tuesday, went home on Friday and was back to work on Monday. My face is already slimmer and my clothes are very loose. I could be the poster child for this type of surgery."

"This is a brand new and very exciting field," said Dr. Theodore Khalili, the surgeon who performed the surgery. "Ultimately it will result in safer, quicker operations and in a faster recovery time with less discomfort for patients.

"The surgeon sits at a console controlling the hand instruments," he explained. The robotic camera is voice controlled and magnifies the surgical field so the surgeon can "zoom in" on a specific area.

"We're doing more and more procedures less and less invasively," said Khalili. "This particular robotic system can be calibrated and scaled to enable microscopically fine hand movements."

Zeus can repeat the surgeon's hand movements with great precision. Zeus does not replace humans but, instead, enhances certain human functions that are improved by the use of robotics.

"The surgeon is at the command post, like a pilot," explained Dr. Achilles Demetriou, Director of Cedars-Sinai's Department of Surgery. "Some of the controls are voice activated to dim lights, change positions, and other functions. The doctor has his or her own prerecorded card imprinted with their voice commands, so the voice recognition system is individualized for each surgeon."

Kim admits to being a little apprehensive about being the first patient in the country to undergo Zeus robotic-assisted gastric bypass surgery. However, she believes strongly that robotics is the way of the future for surgical procedures such as hers.

"It's like the difference between a sewing machine and sewing something by hand," she said. "The doctor is still in control, but the robot assisted him in internal suturing, resulting in a very fine incision which is barely noticeable. I don't feel like I've even had an operation."

Other sources: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center