Seminar on pros and cons of robotic surgery

Robotic surgery - is it truly an advance for modern medicine, or just a product of slick consumer advertising campaigns and targeted marketing to physicians?

Advocates say robots help surgeons perform surgery with greater access, visibility and precision all which reduce pain and blood loss, shortening hospital stays and ultimately getting patients back to work and on with their lives more quickly.

Critics claim that despite its rapidly increasing growth and popularity, there isn't adequate solid scientific research to show robotic surgery is any better - or any more effective - of a treatment than open surgery or laparoscopic surgery.

WHAT:Join us for a media seminar and expert panel to explore the pros and cons of one of the hottest and most hotly contested approaches to modern surgery - remote and minimally invasive surgery through the use of robots - from surgical, ethical and financial perspectives.

Tour and demonstration of state-of-the-art "augmented reality" 3-D robotic operating and teaching suite at Pennsylvania Hospital
One of the first on the east coast, this new system interfaces with surgical robots, enabling the entire OR team to view and operate in 3-D along with the robotic console surgeon.

Guests will have the opportunity to sample use of the robot. Please be prepared to don "bunny suits" bonnets for OR tour.

WHO: Key Speakers:
•Jonathan D. Moreno, MD
David and Lyn Silfen University Professor of Medical Ethics
Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) Professor
Department of Medical Ethics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Department of History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania
Author and Co-Editor of Ethical Guidelines for Innovative Surgery (University Publishing Group, 2006)
•Daniel Eun, MD
Assistant Professor of Urology in Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Penn Urology at Pennsylvania Hospital

Additional Panel Participants for Q & A:
•John Y.K. Lee, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Medical Director, Gamma Knife Center, Penn Neurosurgery at Pennsylvania Hospital
•Jason G. Newman, MD
Assistant Professor of Otorhinolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Director, Head and Neck Cancer Clinical Research Group, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Penn Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital
•William C. Welch, MD, FACS, FICS
Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Chief of Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania Hospital

WHEN:Thursday, June 17th, 2010
12:30 PM - Lunch will be served and available throughout discussion
1:00 PM - Presentation/discussions begin
1:25 PM - Q & A
1:45 PM - Tour of 3-D Robotic Surgery Suite

WHERE:Pennsylvania Hospital
Great Court, Ground Floor, Pine Building
801 Spruce Street
Phila., PA 19107

HOW: New! Streaming video webcast - now available. A recording of the event will also be available on demand. To sign up for webcast, please e-mail Lee-Ann Landis at [email protected]

Please register to attend in person: by contacting Olivia Fermano at [email protected].

For all other questions, please call: (215) 349-5653.