Webcast With Live Moderation: Thursday, September 18, 2008 From 4:00-5:30 PM ET

ANN ARBOR, MI -- (Marketwire) -- 09/18/08 -- OR-Live.com, the University of Michigan Health System and Intuitive Surgical, Inc. will present the second in a series of surgical tutorials on Complex da Vinci (robotic) Hysterectomy on September 18, 2008 from 4:00-5:30 PM (ET). Dr. Arnold P. Advincula, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of the Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Program and Fellowship at the University of Michigan Health System, will moderate the event to explain critical portions of the surgery and to answer e-mail questions from viewers.

One complex case will be highlighted, including advanced endometriosis with associated adnexal mass, prior pelvic surgery and an enlarged uterus. Dr. Advincula will elaborate on strategies for surgically managing complex pathology while leveraging the advantages of the da Vinci® (robotic) Surgical System. He will perform a total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) using all four operative arms of the da Vinci® S(TM) HD System.

The da Vinci® Surgical System is a breakthrough robotic platform designed to transcend the limitations of both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy -- expanding the surgeon's ability to perform more complex gynecologic procedures using a minimally invasive approach. The da Vinci's high-definition 3D vision system, fully wristed EndoWrist® instrumentation, Intuitive® motion and ergonomic design provide unsurpassed visualization, surgical dexterity and control. These enhanced capabilities allow gynecologists to perform more complex hysterectomies with greater reproducibility across their patient population compared to conventional laparoscopy, while preserving techniques used in traditional open surgery.

Despite the broad acceptance of laparoscopy, open surgery remains the most common approach to hysterectomy. This is due in part to the learning curve associated with conventional laparoscopy and its associated complications(1) as well as the difficulty in treating advanced pathology -- such as an enlarged uterus, pelvic adhesions or endometriosis -- via laparoscopy.(2)

According to Dr. Advincula, "da Vinci provides a means to overcome both the challenges presented by advanced pathology and the surgical limitations of conventional laparoscopy. It does this by providing surgeons with improved precision and dexterity, coupled with advanced imaging, which allows for the completion of complex, minimally invasive procedures in a fashion analogous to open surgery."

The da Vinci System enables the GYN surgeon to tackle more complex pathology using a minimally invasive approach, thereby minimizing the need to perform hysterectomy via laparotomy (open incision).