What is Robotic Surgery?
Robotic Surgery is a technologically advanced form of minimally invasive surgery. It has a number of advantages and should be used for patients who would specifically benefit from this superiority. Robotic Surgery can be used for:
- Bariatric surgery (sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass)
- Hiatus hernia surgery
- Complex abdominal wall- or groin Hernia surgery
- Gallbladder removal
Your Surgeon, Dr Phil Le Page, controls the robot during the entire surgery. Dr Le Page sits at a “console” in the operating room, to control the robot. At the end of the procedure Dr Le Page “Scrubs” back in to close the keyhole sites with hidden absorbable stitches.
The robot itself, looks like this:
The Robot Surgeon controlling robot Arrangement in operating theatre
Key Advantages
Advantages of robotic surgery include these technical advantages described, consistent movements and performance by the robot, generally reduced scars and port site discomfort and faster recovery and return to normal function. Scientific publications, when performed in control settings, attest to these benefits (see below). A standard training program is undertaken by the surgeon, including observation of other expert surgeons, observation by the expert surgeon for the training surgeon, work on a computer robot simulator and also in a laboratory, along with testing of practical skills and theoretical knowledge. There are also ongoing accreditation requirements that he participates in.
For further information, visit https://www.davincisurgery.com/. Please also feel free to ask Dr Le Page any other questions you may have or advise if you would wish to have your surgery performed by traditional laparoscopic or open means.
Scientific Publication References:
[1] Bindal V, Bhatia P, Dudeja U, Kalhan S, Khetan M, John S. Review of contemporary role of robotics in bariatric surgery. J Minim Access Surg. 2015;11:16–21
[2] Snyder, Brad E., Wilson, Todd; Scarborough, Terry; Yu, Sherman; Wilson, Erik B.: Lowering gastrointestinal leak rates: a comparative analysis of robotic and laparoscopic gastric bypass. J Robotic Surg. 2, 159-0163, 2008.
[3] Acevedo E Jr1, Mazzei M1, Zhao H2, Lu X2, Soans R1, Edwards MA3. Outcomes in conventional laparoscopic versus robotic-assisted primary bariatric surgery: a retrospective, case-controlled study of the MBSAQIP database. Surg Endosc. 2019 Jun 17. doi: 10.1007/s00464-019-06915-7. [Epub ahead of print]