(07/19/06) LONG BRANCH ? One operating room at Monmouth Medical Center is looking more like a science fiction movie, and less like a photo from a medical science book.

A $1.5 million robot, yes robot, is changing the way certain surgeries are performed at the hospital. The machine, called da Vinci, mimics a doctors hand motions and translates those movements into delicate surgical procedures. The Da Vinci?s tiny claws can grab tissue, make incisions and cauterize cuts. The machine assisted in New Jersey?s first robotic surgery, a hysterectomy, Wednesday.

Doctors are quick to point out that the machine does not perform surgery by itself. They say professional medical personnel are still needed to properly operate da Vinci. According to doctors, the major advantage of da Vinci is its accuracy. With increased accuracy comes less bleeding, which translates into a quicker recovery time for patients. Residents can see da Vinci for themselves when it?s put on display in Monmouth Medical Center?s lobby Thursday.