Mount Sinai
Medical Center
4300 Alton Road
Greenspan Bldg.,
Suite 2110
Miami Beach, Florida 33140
Ph: (305) 598-4446
Fax: (305) 598-1646

Division of
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Ph: (305) 674-2780

Robotic surgical technologies have already started to change the way surgeons operate inside the chest – in particular for procedures performed on the lungs and esophagus. Surgeons at Mount Sinai Medical Center are at the forefront of the rapidly evolving field of robotics. Dr. Roy Williams is among the nation's most experienced minimally invasive thoracic surgeons. He has worked for years perfecting video-assisted thoracic surgery, or VATS, and is among a small handful of surgeons in the state of Florida skilled in robotic thoracic surgery. With the use of the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System, thymectomies and other complex procedures can be performed through 1-2 cm incisions, without spreading or cutting the breastbone or ribs, thereby minimizing blood loss, pain and scarring. For the patient, robotic surgery can result in a shorter hospital stay, a quicker recovery and faster return to normal daily activities.

For the patient, robotic surgery can offer all the potential benefits of a minimally invasive procedure, including less pain, less blood loss and less need for blood transfusions. Moreover, it can enable a shorter hospital stay, a quicker recovery and faster return to normal daily activities.

At Mount Sinai Medical Center, the da Vinci Surgical System is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to enable complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. It consists of an ergonomic surgeon’s console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, a high-performance 3-D/HD vision system and proprietary EndoWrist® instruments. Powered by state-of-the-art robotic technology, the da Vinci System is designed to scale, filter and seamlessly translate the surgeon's hand movements into more precise movements of the EndoWrist instruments. The net result is breakthrough surgical capabilities that offer clear benefits for both patients and surgeons.

To perform a procedure, surgeons use the console’s master controls to maneuver four robotic arms, which securely hold the patented EndoWrist instruments and high-resolution endoscopic camera. The EndoWrist instruments’ jointed-wrist design exceeds the natural range of motion of the human hand; motion scaling and tremor reduction further interpret and refine the surgeon’s hand movements. A final hallmark of the da Vinci System is its fail-safe design, incorporating multiple, redundant safety features designed to minimize opportunities for human error when compared with traditional approaches.

With this superior visualization and enhanced dexterity, surgeons at Mount Sinai Medical Center are able to perform minimally invasive procedures involving complex dissection or reconstruction. This ultimately raises the standard of care for complex surgeries, translating into numerous potential patient benefits.

While clinical studies support the use of the da Vinci® System as an effective tool for minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary.

At Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Roy Williams offers robotic treatment options for the following:
• Lung Nodule Biopsy
• Lung Resection/Lobectomy
• Thymectomy or surgical excision of the thymus gland (Click here to learn more.)
• Benign esophageal disorders
• Tumors of the esophagus
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Mediastinal Tumors
• Hyperhydrosis