Dr. Villanueva is a very down to earth man, tho he stands on a pedestal, showered in prestige as the region's notable physician/surgeon in thoracic and cardiothoracic surgery. He has trained hundreds of American surgeons; and has saved thousands of patients. There is actually an article they had on Dr. Villanueva and another fellow Filipino physician:
here it is:
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The power of the region's most advanced ORs — in the hands of your surgeon
Surgeons Miguel de Leon, MD, and Dioscoro Villanueva, MD, use Virtua Marlton's advanced surgical suites for minimally invasive surgery.
"Sidné," calls the surgeon. "Camera… Zoom…" Sidné replies: "Camera… Zoom…" The image of the inside of the patient's abdomen appears closer on the flat panel screen. The surgeon then says: "Sidné… light source up." Sidné again replies: "Light source up." The image on the screen becomes visibly brighter.
While these exchanges may seem typical during surgery, Sidné is not a nurse in the operating room (OR). Sidné is actually a computer that allows the surgeon to control many of the tools needed for a minimally invasive surgery — with nothing more than the sound of his voice.
"The voice-activated computer system is just one of the highlights of Virtua Marlton Hospital's new leading-edge, minimally invasive surgical suites," says Dioscoro Villanueva, MD, thoracic surgeon and clinical director of surgical services at Virtua Health Marlton. "These are the most advanced ORs in the region." Virtua's new ORs also include futuristic features such as high-definition digital imaging and two-way video linkages.
A minimally invasive approach
Surgeons will use the new surgical suites to perform minimally invasive surgeries using a surgical camera called a laparoscope. Using a minimally invasive approach, surgeries that typically resulted in large scars and long recoveries are drastically reduced to tiny incisions and shorter recovery times. Surgeries will include everything from gall bladder and kidney removals to hernia repairs, colon resections and gastric bypass for obese patients.
"While these types of surgeries can be complex, these new surgical suites put more control into the hands of the surgeon," explains Dr. Villanueva, who will use the new ORs for advanced lung surgeries. "With simple voice commands, the surgeon can manipulate many of the OR's features. This allows the surgeon to maintain his focus on the most important part of the surgery — the patient."
It takes a team
Miguel de Leon, MD, colorectal surgeon at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals explains that every surgery takes team work. "We sometimes consult with colleagues during surgical procedures. Using the suite's two-way video linkage, we can bring the team of clinicians into the operating room without having them enter the sterile operating suite. We can get second opinions from other specialists, consult with our pathologists and teach surgeons, medical students and nurses."
Virtua's new surgical suites are equipped with video cameras that allow clinicians to view the surgeon, as well as what the surgeon sees through the laparoscope, from a high-definition flat panel screen outside the room. The cameras, combined with highly sensitive microphones, allow the surgeon to interact with those viewing the surgery.
"During difficult cases, we can even have the post-operative care nurse view the surgery as it's happening," says Dr. de Leon. "This helps the nurse prepare for the special needs of that patient. Also, this technology will eventually allow us to share our expertise and consult with clinicians from anywhere in the world. If there is a leading expert in another country, she'll be able to view the case as it is happening and provide an opinion before the patient leaves the operating room."
Bringing the lab into surgery
Any time tissue is removed from the body, it's sent to the pathology lab to be tested for signs of abnormalities or disease. During some difficult surgical cases, such as those that may involve removing a cancerous tumor, this process can be challenging. The pathologist, who examines the tissue samples to make a diagnosis, may need to consult with the surgeon in the operating room. Or the surgeon may be required to join the pathologist in the lab at some point during the procedure.
"Now the pathologist can be in the operating room through a two-way video linkage in our new surgery suites," says Robert Biondi, DO, pathologist and medical director of the pathology lab at Virtua Marlton. "This new technology provides greater efficiency and easy access to medical perspectives from other specialists."
Two-way video linkage
Dr. Biondi explains that the two-way link enables the surgeon and the pathologist to see and hear each other during the surgery. "The pathologist can also view what the surgeon sees through the laparoscope. Together, they can pinpoint specific areas within the body that need to be examined by the pathologist."
This new technology also enables the pathologist to project images into the OR. The surgeon is able to see exactly what the pathologist sees under the microscope without leaving the patient. If necessary, the two can link with a third physician for another opinion.
"These new operating rooms allow us to work together in ways that were thought to only be possible in the distant future," says Dr. Biondi. "The future is here."
Physician profiles
Robert Biondi, DO, earned his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr. Biondi has co-authored several articles in publications such as the Journal of the American Osteopathic College of Pathologists and the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
Miguel de Leon, MD, earned his medical degree from the University of the Philippines in Manila and completed a surgical residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He went on to complete a fellowship in colorectal surgery at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts. Dr. de Leon is board certified in both general and colon and rectal surgery.
Dioscoro Villanueva, MD, is board certified in general, cardiac and thoracic surgery. He graduated from Far Eastern University in the Philippines. He completed an internship at United Hospital, Newark and surgical residencies at Lakewood City Hospital, Ohio; Memorial Hospital of Burlington County; and, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center.
This article is from Spring 2006 HealthSavvy
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