Dr. Mani Menon
Dr. Mani Menon, Director of the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital, is one of the foremost urologists in the world. As a respected researcher, skilled surgeon and dedicated doctor, his lifelong mission has always been the patient’s well being. Known for his groundbreaking work in minimally-invasive prostatectomy, Dr. Menon has helped thousands of men regain their health while maintaining sexual function and active lives.
“Looking after patients is a great thing to do,” says Dr. Menon. “The passion that the patients have toward us and their loyalty to the program is humbling.”
A medical pioneer
Dr. Menon’s commitment to patient care led him to become one of the first doctors ever to perform nerve-sparing radical prostate cancer surgery. In the 1980s Dr. Menon headed up the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Division of Urological and Transplantation Surgery. Under his leadership the program grew rapidly and was ranked as one of the best in the country by U.S. News and World Report.
On the cutting edge
When Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit wanted to build its prostate cancer center into a world-class institution they turned to Dr. Menon. He joined the venerable healthcare organization in 1997 and assembled an expert team to develop cutting edge prostate surgery techniques using 3-D robotic technology. As primary developer of the da Vinci™ robotic prostatectomy technique, he transformed minimally invasive prostate surgery to an art. His nerve-sparing Veil of Aphrodite technique dramatically improves erectile function after radical prostatectomy and is considered the gold standard for the treatment of prostate cancer.
“The great wonder of this procedure for the surgeon is the exquisite clarity with which he sees internal structures,” explains Dr. Menon, adding that this high tech method allows doctors to see the human body with incredible depth of perception, resulting in a better outcome for men.
“Robotic surgery is still surgery,” says Dr. Menon. “So we’re still doing the same operation. We’re just doing it more precisely, more humanely and allowing the body to heal much more quickly with the help of the robot. We have seen enormous benefits in how patients do."
A commitment to excellence
Dr. Menon is recognized as leading researcher in his field. He has published more than 250 research papers, primarily in the field of robotic surgery, renal transplantation and urolithiasis. His work has appeared in numerous urological and medical journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine.
In addition to running the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital, Dr. Menon oversees the Institute’s yearly International Robotic Urology Symposium and lectures at numerous universities and hospitals throughout the world. He is committed to training the next generation of urologists. He has been profiled in The Best Doctors of America, the International Who’s Who in Biology and Medicine, and was recently featured in Time magazine.
In 2008, the President of India awarded him the B.C.Roy National Award for Eminence in Medicine recognizing his key role in developing the field of robotic surgery.
