The 1st quarter of 2007 was my busiest for da Vinci Prostatectomies (dvP) for prostate cancer (52 operations), as well as my busiest total robotic surgery 3 month period (60 operations).
My dvP volume increased 63% from the previous year and 24% from the previous quarter, which was then a record.
My total robotic surgery volume increased 50% from the previous year and 15% from the previous quarter, which was then a record as well.
For March I performed a total of 22 robotic operations, which brought the total to 321.
17 of them were dvPs.
2 were robotic simple prostatectomies for BPH.
1 was a partial nephrectomy for a small kidney tumor.
1 was a radical nephrectomy for a tumor.
My expectations for the 2nd quarter are similar to the first quarter.
I expect the growth to increase for the 3rd quarter due to several reasons:
Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ will likely have the newest high definition da Vanci S system installed.
I will also have privileges at St. Clares in Denville. These 2 hospitals will likely lead to an increase in referrals in the towns closer to these hospitals.
I will also have my new partner, Dr. Brent Yanke, starting in July which should allow my program to grow tremendously. Dr. Yanke is finishing his fellowship in endourology and minimally invasive urology at Thomas Jefferson in Philadelphia.