Henry Ford Hospital is using a new, robotically controlled ultrasound probe from Aloka to help remove a cancerous tumor from a kidney.
The facility's first partial nephrectomy with the new ultrasound probe was performed in January, according to Dr. Craig Rogers, director of renal surgery at the Henry Ford Vattikuti Urology Institute. To date, the facility has completed more than 30 additional cases.
Current laparoscopic procedure requires a surgical assistant to hold an ultrasound probe in the incision, while the surgeon is at the robotic console. The ultrasound probe has to be moved manually by the assistant, with the surgeon's direction. However, with the new probe, surgeons are able to control the transducer robotically.
Henry Ford is currently evaluating the probe for its potential use in other types of surgeries.
