Vattikuti Urology Institute
History
The Vattikuti Urology Institute is the flagship of the Vattikuti global network of institutions and is recognized as the birthplace of daVinci computer assisted robotic surgery in urology. The VUI Has also been credited as the catalyst for the growth of robotic surgery in other surgical specialties. The Vattikuti Urology Institute, long under the leadership of pioneer surgeon Dr. Mani Menon, was established in the year 2000 at the Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, with the philanthropic support of Padma and Raj Vattikuti. It was the first program in robotic surgery in urology to disrupt the then existing treatment of prostate cancer by innovating the Vattikuti Institute Prostatectomy (VIP), a reproducible technique of robotic radical prostatectomy. This technique, with modifications, has evolved to become the standard of care across the globe in prostate cancer surgery. The VUI has since remained an international leading center for training current masters in robotic surgery.
The VUI is to be credited for several firsts such as the aforementioned techniques of Vattikuti Institute Prostatectomy (VIP) and the further refinements for improving sexual and urinary control functions; robotic surgery for: bladder cancer, kidney cancer, kidney stones; adrenal gland robotic surgery in children and robotic assisted kidney transplant recipient surgery. Dr. Menon and his team have over 500+ highly cited and published papers, leading the way for the frontline researchers. He is now working in New York City, still highly-focused on minimizing erectile dysfunction following robotic radical prostatectomy surgery. The VUI carries on his mission with a staff of Menon-trained successors.
