NEWARK, N.J., April 20, 2007
-- On May 1st, Newark
Beth Israel Medical Center, in a joint program with Liberty
Science Center, will offer high school science and technology
students from Christ the Teacher School in Fort Lee,
Weequahic High School and Malcolm X. Shabazz High School
in Newark, plus the robotics team from William Annin
Middle School in Basking Ridge, a chance to see the future
of medical technology up close and personal—in
the form of a surgical robot!
The Liberty Science Center’s “Live
From…” program has provided young people
with the rare opportunity to watch real time surgical
procedures while interacting with the surgical staff
for the past nine years. When the Science Center reopens
this July after a massive expansion and renewal, students
will participate in “Live From…” experiences ranging
from kidney transplants to neurosurgeries and cardiac
bypass surgeries being performed at New Jersey’s
fine hospitals from their seats in the Science Center’s
brand new Jennifer A. Chalsty Center for Science Learning
and Teaching.
This is the first time the “Live
From… ” program has featured a robotic
procedure. Using videoconferencing technology, students
will watch a live simulcast of a robotic hysterectomy
being performed upstairs in an operating room by Michael
Pitter, M.D., while asking questions and discussing future
careers in this ever-expanding area that merges technology
and healthcare.
The event coincides with The Beth’s
milestone of more than 1,500 robotic procedures performed
by its surgeons since 2003. Physicians at Newark Beth Israel
currently perform robotic surgery in more specialties than
any other facility in the nation, including adult cardiac,
adult urology, pediatric urology, gynecology, gynecologic
oncology and general surgery.
On display on May 1st will be the da
Vinci® Surgical System, which is used to perform
surgeries such as cardiac procedures, hysterectomies,
gastric bypass procedures, and more. Students will have
the unique opportunity to demo the robot themselves and
learn how this remarkable piece of technology is enabling
patients to return to their normal daily activities more
quickly and without the bleeding, scarring and painful
recuperation periods associated with traditional open
surgeries.
“We are thrilled to invite students
from neighboring schools to witness how technology is literally
saving people’s lives,” says Paul Mertz, Executive
Director of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. “The
Beth wants to encourage their passion for science, technology
and robots by demonstrating the wide range of opportunities
out there in the field of health care technology.”
At Newark Beth Israel Medical Center,
part of the Saint Barnabas Healthcare System, physicians
perform robotic surgery in more specialties than any other
facility in the nation. The hospital also has the largest
Robotic Training program in the Northeast, where surgeons
from around the world are undergoing training in advanced
robotic-assisted surgical techniques. For more information
about robotic surgery performed at Newark Beth Israel,
please visit www.thebethrobot.com.
Dedicated to providing transformative
experiences that build connections for schools and society
with science and technology, Liberty Science Center is
the NJ-NYC region’s largest science education center
and an acclaimed innovator in the science museum field,
nationally and internationally. Located in Liberty State
Park, Jersey City, NJ, Liberty Science Center is currently
undergoing a major expansion and renewal project set for
completion in July, 2007. During this period, the Science
Center has doubled its educational outreach, bringing the
excitement of science discovery to students, teachers and
families across the tri-state area. Follow our progress
at www.lsc.org.
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