Introduced as the “Rock Star of Urology”, Dr. Monish Aron told his story of how he, along with a group of six other superstars, came from the respected Cleveland Clinic to head up the USC Institute of Urology.  It is now a combination of the USC University Hospital, The Norris Cancer Center, L.A. County Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.  What they have done and plan to do is nothing short of amazing in the world of surgeries, research and robotic and laparoscopic medicine.  With nine clinic centers, four specialty centers and five research laboratories the institute performs over 5000 surgeries (open/laparoscopic/robotic), 2500 bladder, 2500 kidney, 1000 partial nepherectomy surgeries annually.  It is also the largest pediatric kidney transplant center in the U.S.  Through its research the institute has developed such things as scar free kidney surgery  by making the incision through the belly button, image guided surgery (augmented reality) used for kidney and prostate surgery and organ sparing prostate surgery targeting only the cancer not the prostate gland.   The fascinating concept of image guided surgery involves an ultrasound probe optical tracker and a CATscan and when one is superimposed on the other the surgeon can guide the robotic arm to spare certain precise areas such as nerve endings and organs.   There are four areas where their research and leadership are proving to be successful: LESS (Lapro Endoscopic Single Site) Surgery, Advanced Robotic Surgery, Focal Therapy (MRI fused with scan) and Image Guided Surgery.  Dr. Aron and his team have made a significant difference by bringing surgical innovation to the USC Institute of Urology. 

Pat Dolphin