FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     August 8, 2006

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John Moore
Media Relations
903-531-4542

CENTER FOR ADVANCED SURGERY AND TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCES MEDICAL DIRECTORS

TYLER, TX - Officials With the Center For Advanced Surgery And Technology (CASAT) (www.casattexas.org) at Mother Frances Hospital announced that William F. Turner, Jr. MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon with Turner Cardiovascular Associates and Andrew Kirkpatrick, MD, a urologist with Trinity Clinic Urology, have accepted co-medical directorships for CASAT.

The Center For Advanced Surgery And Technology includes three revolutionary da Vinci robotic surgery systems (a laparoscopic surgical robot that integrates the classic skills of the surgeon with the futuristic precision of a robot).  Mother Frances Hospital is the only facility in the east Texas to offer robotic surgery.  Health System officials said patient benefits for robotic surgery can include less pain, fewer side effects, faster recovery, less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, less risk of infection, faster return to daily activities and reduction in the surgical incision.

Dr. Turner, performed the first robotic surgery at CASAT in February 2004 when he used the da Vinci Robotic System to do a heart bypass procedure on a Henderson man.  Since then, he has performed over 100 robot-assisted heart surgeries at CASAT and more than 1,000 beating heart bypass operations.  Since the first da Vinci procedure, a minimally-invasive heart bypass, was performed, over 280 robotic procedures, including cardiac, prostate, gynecologic and general surgery have been performed at the CASAT.

Dr. Kirkpatrick utilizes da Vinci to perform prostatectomies.  On June 8, he helped a patient fight prostate cancer during a live Webcast from CASAT.  The procedure performed was the second of an ongoing series to be broadcast, free of charge, via OR Live's website which can be reached through www.tmfhs.org.

On November 2, 2006 at 6 p.m., Dr. Turner will perform a minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery using the da Vinci Surgical robot via OR Live.

"The Center For Advanced Surgery and Technology is dedicated to offering the new technology and expertise normally found in major metropolitan areas," said Michael J. Vintges, vice president, cardiac services and CASAT, Trinity Mother Frances Health System.  "Drs. Turner and Kirkpatrick are experienced and dedicated to the robotic program and the reduction in pain and shorter healing period it provides their patients."

In addition to robotic surgery, CASAT encompasses a wide range of technologically advanced tools including 3-D echocardiography, an Avanto MRI, which provides image clarity 100 times better than previous MRI technology, and two Stereotaxis magnetic assisted catheterization labs.

For more information on the Center For Advanced Surgery And Technology, visit www.casattexas.org.  Trinity Mother Frances Health System includes Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler, Mother Frances Hospital-Jacksonville, and Trinity Clinic.  Trinity Clinic is a multispecialty physician group with over 200 providers representing 33 specialties serving east, northeast and north-central Texas.  For more information on services available through Trinity Mother Frances Health System, visit www.tmfhs.org.