daVinci Surgery in Tulare County

A new category of surgery, the da Vinci® Surgical System, is being used by an increasing number of surgeons worldwide for prostatectomy and other urologic procedures. It is a minimally invasive approach, using the latest in surgical and robotics technologies and is ideal for delicate urologic surgery. This includes prostatectomy, where the target site is not only tightly confined but also surrounded by nerves affecting urinary control and sexual function. Using da Vinci, your surgeon has a better tool to spare those delicate and critical surrounding nerves. This may improve your recovery experience and clinical outcomes with such benefits as:

• Significantly less pain
• Less blood loss
• Fewer complications
• Less scarring
• A shorter hospital stay
• And a faster return to normal daily activities

As with any surgery, these benefits cannot be guaranteed, as surgery is unique to each patient and procedure. The da Vinci Surgical System is considered safe and effective, but may not be appropriate for everyone. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as the benefits and risks.

When medication and non-invasive procedures are unable to relieve symptoms, surgery remains the accepted and most effective treatment for a range of gynecologic conditions. These include, but are not limited to, cervical and uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse and menorrhagia or excessive bleeding.

Traditional open gynecologic surgery, using a large incision for access to the uterus and surrounding anatomy, has for many years been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures. Yet with open surgery can come significant pain, trauma, a long recovery process and threat to surrounding organs and nerves. For women facing gynecologic surgery, the period of pain, discomfort and extended time away from normal daily activities that usually follows traditional surgery can understandably cause significant anxiety.

Fortunately, less invasive options are available. Some gynecologic procedures enable surgeons to access the target anatomy using a vaginal approach, which may not require an external incision. But for complex hysterectomies and other gynecologic procedures, robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci® Surgical System may be the most effective, least invasive treatment option. Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, surgeons using the da Vinci System* can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery and excellent clinical outcomes.

Marty L. Prah, MD

Dr. Prah has been a leader in minimally invasive urologic surgery since his arrival to Visalia when he performed the first "No Scalpel" Vasectomy in 1990. He has had a special interest in Urologic Oncology since his training at the University of Southern California, and to date has completed over 1,000 "cancer" surgeries in his twenty year career. Dr. Prah completed the first successful Laparoscopic Nephrectomy (kidney removal without incision) at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in 2000, and began robotic surgery in 2005. He now has more than 5 years of experience with the da Vinci system, and has completed over 100 robotic surgeries on the prostate, and kidney.

Dr. Prah feels honored to be the first surgeon at Kaweah Delta Medical Center to perform a robotic surgery on the new state of the art da Vinci "Si" system on July 23, 2010. He believes this cutting edge technology will allow patients to experience reduced pain, scarring, blood loss, and recovery time.

Education:

• B.S., University of Wisconsin
• Medical school: Medical College of Wisconsin

Internship:

• University of Southern California Medical Center, General Surgery

Residency:

• University of Southern California Medical Center, General Surgery
• University of Southern California Medical Center, Urology

Certification:

• American Board of Urology

Affiliations:

• American Urologic Association, Western Section
• American Association of Clinical Urologists
• California Medical Association
• Tulare County Medical Society

Positions:

• American Urologic Association Board of Directors 2004 - 2006
• California Urologic Association Delegate to CMA 2008
• Kaweah Delta Medical Center Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery 2004-2006
• Kaweah Delta Medical Center Chairman, Department of Surgery 2006-2008

Publications:

• Prah, M. L., and Lawson, Russel K., “Prostatic Growth Factor - Effects on Human Fibroblasts”, (presented September, 1981 - Milwaukee Urologic Association)
• Boyd, S. D., and Prah, M. L., “Multiple Renal Oncocytomas in a Horseshoe Kidney”, (presented March 1989 - Western Section AUA)
• Huffman, J. L., and Prah, M. L., “Multimodal Approach to the Urolithiasis Patient”, (submitted for presentation - AUA National Meeting, 1989)
• Prah, M. L., “Experience with Kock’s Pouch Continent Urinary Diversion”, (presented March 1990 - Conference on G.U. Oncology)
• Goldstein, M.; Shihau, L. Phillip; and Prah, M. L., Clinical Instructor - No Scalpel Vasectomy, (March 1990 - Association for Voluntary Surgical Contraception)

Joseph Chidi, MD

Education:

• B.A. in Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Phi Beta Kappa
• Medical school: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio

Residency:

• University Hospitals of Cleveland, General Surgery; University Hospitals of Cleveland, Urology

Certification:

• National Board of Medical Examiners, Urology

Affiliations:

• American Urological Association
• American Association of Clinical Urologists
• American College of Surgeons
• Tulare County Medical Society

Positions:

• Vice Chair - Department of Surgery, Kaweah Delta District Hospital (1999-2000)
• Chair - Department of Surgery, Kaweah Delta District Hospital (2000)
• Member of the Medical Board, Charles Cole Memorial Hospital (1988-1992)
• Chief of Surgery, Charles Cole Memorial Hospital (1985-1990)
• Vice-President, Medical Staff, Charles Cole Memorial Hospital (1985-1986)
• President, Medical Staff, Charles Cole Memorial Hospital (1986-1987)
• Chairman of Board of Quality Assurance, Charles Cole Memorial Hospital

Mark Wiseman, MD

Education

• B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University
• Walter P. Murphy Fellow, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University
• Medical school: UCLA School of Medicine
• Residency: UCLA School of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Certification:

• American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Affiliations:

• Fellow, American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• American Medical Association
• California Medical Association
• Tulare County Medical Society

Positions:

• Vice Chief of Staff, Kaweah Delta Medical Center
• Board member, Foundation for Medical Care

Boone, Andrea MD

Education

• Batchelors in Science with Honors from Stanford University in 1988
• M.D. from the University of Southern California in 1992
• Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at St. Louis University finished in 1996

Certification:

• Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Affiliations:

• California Medical Association
• Tulare County Medical Association

Positions:

• Gynecologist with Visalia Ob/Gyn since 1998
• Vice Chairwoman of the Department of Ob/Gyn at Kaweah Delta for 6 years