FHCI Researchers Win Outstanding Clinical Poster Award at SGO

A clinical research poster entitled
“Robotically Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy versus Total Abdominal
Hysterectomy and Lymphadenectomy for Endometrial Cancer” presented by the researchers
of Gynecologic Oncology Center, Florida Hospital Cancer Institute (FHCI),
Orlando, have won the “Best Clinical
Poster” award of the Society of
Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) at the 39th Annual Meeting on Women’s
Cancer, in Tampa, FL, March 9-12, 2008.  The authors of the winning poster are Sara A.
DeNardis, DO, Robert W. Holloway, MD, Glenn E. Bigsby IV, DO, Dirk P. Pikaart,
DO, Sarfraz Ahmad, PhD, Neil J. Finkler, MD. [Reference: DeNardis SA, et al. Gynecol. Oncol. 2008; 108 (3): Suppl.1, A247].

The da VinciÒ
Robotics System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale,
CA) for use in gynecology was
approved by the FDA in April, 2006. The Gynecologic Oncology Program at Florida Hospital performed procedures soon
thereafter in June, using a standard system originally purchased for the
Urologic Program that has performed over 500 radical prostatectomy cases. An
improved da Vinci-SÒ System was added to the robotics program in
October, 2006 with enhanced features important for gynecologic oncology
procedures. Since that time, over 300 procedures have been performed including
hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer, radical hysterectomy
for cervical cancer, and hysterectomy with staging lymphadenectomy and
omentectomy for early ovarian cancer. Florida Hospital
converted 20% of open gynecologic oncology cases to minimally invasive
procedures since the purchase of the new system, and expects growth to about
35% for 2008. Limitations for the procedures include morbid obesity, poor
cardiovascular health, and advanced metastatic disease. There have been no
wound infections and no transfusions in our first 300 cases, and a conversion
to open laparotomy rate of only 2%. The winning poster being our review of only
first 56 endometrial cancer cases.

In December
2007, Florida Hospital
announced the creation of the Global Robotics Institute at the Nicholson Center for Surgical Advancement (NCSA),
Celebration Health. All members of the Gynecologic Oncology Program participate
in the education of surgeons from around the world who visit the NCSA for
training in robotic surgery. We are the largest volume da VinciÒ
program in the State of Florida
and one of the largest in the nation.