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Robotic Surgery Center

Glossary

Learn more about robotic surgery with our glossary.

Glossary

Anesthesiologist

A member of the surgical team that puts the patient to sleep before surgery, administers medication to keep the patient asleep throughout surgery, and monitors the patient’s heart and lungs.

Open surgery

Conventional surgery using an open incision (cut) to access the surgical area.

Benign

This describes a condition that is not cancerous.

Bowel prep

Preparing the bowel for surgery by emptying it out as much as possible. It typically involves a clear liquid diet for 1-2 days, laxative medications by mouth, and/or enemas.

Console

Specialized control center where the surgeon controls the camera and robotic arms inside the body to perform the surgery.

Da Vinci robot

A type of surgical robotic system widely used for urologic surgery.

Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)

A blood clot in the leg which can travel to the lung and cause life-threatening complications. This can be a complication of surgery and is more likely to occur in people with cancer, recent surgery, and prolonged time in bed. Risk is decreased by walking early and often after surgery.

Diaphragm

The respiratory muscle that expands the lungs.

Incentive Spirometer

A breathing machine used after surgery to re-expand the lung pockets.

Jackson Pratt (JP) drain

A surgical drain which drains fluid from the surgery site.

Fascia

The strength layer of the abdomen.

Foley catheter

A tube that drains the bladder. This exits through the urethra (bladder or urine tube) that travels through the penis in men, and through the urethra in women. The catheter continuously drains the bladder so the surgical area can heal.

“Keyhole” surgery

Refers to laparoscopic surgery, or surgery using a camera and long instruments through several small holes in the body.

Laparoscopic surgery

Surgery using a camera and long instruments through several small holes in the body.

Malignant

This means cancerous.

Ports

Access portals placed in the body through small holes to perform laparoscopic or robotic surgery.

Pulmonary Embolus (PE)

A blood clot in the lung that can cause life-threatening complications. Risk is decreased by walking early and often after surgery.

Robotic surgery

A surgical approach using surgical portals through small holes in the body and attaching long thin instruments to a specialized robot.

Surgical technician

Member of the surgical team who prepares instruments and supplies, and assists with surgery.

Trendelenburg position

A position used in robotic surgery with the bed tilted such that the head is closer to the ground and the feet toward the ceiling.

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