REMINDER: ORLive Presents: da Vinci(R) Surgery for Kidney Disease

Live Webcast of da Vinci Partial Nephrectomy From Henry Ford Hospital's Vattikuti Urology Institute: Thursday, December 6, 2007, 5 PM ET

OR-Live.com and Henry Ford Hospital will present a live Webcast of a da Vinci® (Robotic) Partial Nephrectomy from the Henry Ford Hospital's Vattikuti Urology Institute on December 6, 2007 at 5 PM (ET).

Craig Rogers, M.D., Director of Robotic Renal Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital and Director of Urologic Oncology at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, will perform this minimally invasive procedure using the da Vinci® S(TM) Surgical System. James Peabody, M.D., Senior Staff Surgeon of the Vattikuti Urology Institute, will moderate this event to explain critical portions of the surgery and answer e-mail questions from viewers.

da Vinci® (NASDAQ: ISRG) is a breakthrough robotic system designed to transcend the limitations of both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy -- thereby expanding the surgeon's capabilities and providing patients a minimally invasive option for many complex procedures. da Vinci® Partial Nephrectomy represents a state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approach to surgically remove kidney tumors while preserving healthy renal tissue necessary for normal kidney function.

The da Vinci's high-definition 3D vision system, fully wristed instrumentation, intuitive motion and ergonomic design provide unsurpassed visualization, surgical dexterity and control. This allows the surgeon to perform all the steps of a partial nephrectomy -- including careful dissection, tumor identification and excision, and renal capsule reconstruction -- with far greater surgical precision, ease and efficiency compared to conventional laparoscopy.

Currently, most surgeons remove kidney tumors with an open incision and at times choose to remove the entire kidney, rather than only the diseased portion, due to the limitations of conventional laparoscopic technology and the complexity of the operation. One of the biggest challenges in performing a successful partial nephrectomy procedure is that the surgeon must excise the tumor and reconstruct the kidney in less than 30 minutes in order to preserve normal kidney function. This is because blood flow to the kidney is restricted during this stage of the procedure. However, using the expanded capabilities provided by the da Vinci System, urologists can now quickly identify renal tumor boundaries and perform what may be one of the most precise and meticulous partial nephrectomy procedure available today -- reproducibly and more safely -- in a minimally invasive fashion.

According to Dr. Rogers, the da Vinci System provides better access to difficult tumor locations while giving the surgeon greater precision and control for complex surgical dissections and reconstructions. Moreover, suturing with the da Vinci System is significantly easier and quicker. This benefit is important for partial nephrectomy as suturing is used extensively when reconstructing the renal capsule.

When compared to an open surgical approach, da Vinci Partial Nephrectomy offers patients the potential for shorter hospital stays (1.5 day versus 4 days, according to Dr. Rogers), significantly less post-operative pain, less blood loss, fewer complications, a quicker recovery, and less scarring due to small incisions. Based upon his clinical experience of more than 150 da Vinci procedures, Dr. Rogers believes that da Vinci Partial Nephrectomy can provide patients with "an outstanding cancer operation with maximum potential for normal kidney function."

Henry Ford Hospital's Vattikuti Urology Institute has a history of innovation in urologic robotic surgery. Dr. Mani Menon, Director of the Institute, was an early pioneer in the field of robotic urology and developed the Vattikuti Institute Prostatectomy (VIP). Dr. Menon and other surgeons at Henry Ford have performed over 3,500 VIP procedures for robotic-assisted surgical treatment of prostate cancer since 2001, more than any other facility in the world.

About Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG), headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, is the global technology leader in the rapidly emerging field of robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery (MIS). Intuitive Surgical develops, manufactures and markets robotic technologies designed to improve clinical outcomes and help patients return more quickly to active and productive lives. The company's mission is to extend the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to the broadest possible base of patients. More information is available at www.intuitivesurgical.com and www.davincisurgery.com. Intuitive Surgical -- Taking surgical precision beyond the limits of the human hand(TM)

About the da Vinci® Surgical System

The da Vinci Surgical System is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to enable complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. The da Vinci System consists of an ergonomic surgeon's console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, a high-performance 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 an intuitive interface with breakthrough surgical capabilities. By providing surgeons with superior visualization, enhanced dexterity, greater precision and ergonomic comfort, the da Vinci Surgical System makes it possible for more surgeons 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, including less pain, a shorter recovery and quicker return to normal daily activities.

The presentation described is for general information only and is not intended to substitute for formal medical training or certification. An independent surgeon, who is not an Intuitive Surgical employee, provides procedure descriptions. Intuitive Surgical trains only on the use of its products and is not responsible for surgical credentialing or for training in surgical procedure or technique. As a result, Intuitive is not responsible for procedural content. While clinical studies support the use of the da Vinci Surgical System as an effective tool for minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual. Patients should ask their doctors about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.

Intuitive®, da Vinci®, InSite® and EndoWrist® are registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. www.intuitivesurgical.com www.davincisurgery.com

Visit: http://www.or-live.com/daVinci/1725 to learn more about kidney disease and view a program preview. VNR: http://www.or-live.com/rams/ins-1725-mkw-q.ram

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