Arizona Center for Cancer Care to Perform First-Ever Robotic, Single-Site™ Gynecological Surgery in Arizona
Arizona Center for Cancer Care (AZCCC) is pleased to announce that on August 16, its own Dr. Ivor Benjamin, assisted by fellow AZCCC gynecological oncologist Dr. Dennis R. Scribner and their team, became the first ever doctor to perform the da Vinci® Single-Site™ gynecological robotic surgery, a recently FDA-cleared method to perform surgery through the bellybutton resulting in minimal pain and virtually scar-free results for women who need complex gynecologic procedures. Dr. Benjamin, who is also the first gynecological oncologist to be trained and qualified to perform the surgery in Arizona, also completed the second successful single-site procedure that same day, both at Arrowhead Hospital in Glendale, Ariz.
“To be one of the first hospitals in the region to offer this surgical innovation demonstrates Arrowhead Hospitals’ commitment to providing our patients with the most advanced, minimally invasive, robotic surgical options,” said Frank Molinaro, CEO at Arrowhead Hospital. “We are proud of our partnership with physician’s like Dr. Benjamin, who’s passion, commitment and drive are helping Arrowhead Hospital lead the way in offering the latest technological advances to our patients and community.”
In March, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the single-site robotic instruments for use in gynecology. Dr. Ivor and Benjamin is one of only 27 doctors in the nation to be trained to perform this procedure.
“This technology will allow us to perform gynecologic procedures for women through a single incision rather than three to five small incisions or through one large open incision, as has been the standard of care,” said Dr. Benjamin. “We are excited to be the pioneers for this type of single-site instrumentation here in Arizona and leaders today of the surgical treatments of tomorrow.”
According to Dr. Benjamin, potential advantages of using this new technology include quicker recovery time, low blood loss and a reduction in infections. The typical hospital stay for a patient undergoing the surgery is less than 24 hours.
Board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology with subspecialty certification in gynecologic oncology, AZCCC’s Dr. Benjamin specializes in minimally invasive surgery using the da Vinci surgical robot, and has performed more than 725 complex robotic gynecologic surgeries. He serves as a robotic surgery proctor for training and skills certification of other surgeons throughout the country. Dr. Benjamin also is vice chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at St. Joseph’s Hospital, an associate professor of Ob/Gyn at University of Arizona College of Medicine and Creighton University School of Medicine at St. Joseph’s. He has lectured throughout the country, and has more than 40 peer-reviewed published works. A graduate of Yale University, Dr. Benjamin earned his medical degree from Columbia University, completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a gynecologic oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Board-certified in gynecologic oncology, Dr. Scribner specializes in minimally invasive and robotic surgery and has performed over 500 robotic surgery cases. A recipient of numerous teaching awards and research grants, Dr. Scribner has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles. He earned his medical degree from the University of Connecticut, and completed a residency at Hartford Hospital followed by a gynecologic oncology fellowship at the University of Oklahoma.
Both Drs. Benjamin and Scribner see patients out of both AZCCC’s practice in Peoria as well as its facility housed on the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center campus at Scottsdale Healthcare. In July 2013, Scottsdale Healthcare announced a long-term relationship with AZCCC resulting in the multi-specialty group opening the facilities at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, and now provides radiation oncology services at both its Shea Medical Center and Osborn Medical Center locations.
For more information, please call 480-278-8300 or visit www.arizonaccc.com
