Robotic Surgery Improves Outcomes After Hernia and Prostate Procedures
Meet the da Vinci® Xi™. No, it’s not the Renaissance artist but a powerful surgical robot that is helping to reshape recovery at Columbus Regional Health (CRH). The system allows surgeons to adapt each procedure to their patient’s specific anatomy.
The da Vinci surgical system consists of four robotic arms positioned over the operating room table. Three of the arms are outfitted with surgical instruments, and one has a high-definition camera. The surgeon guides the arms while sitting at a console that provides a magnified view of the surgical field. Every hand movement is scaled down in real time into micro-movements that allow the surgeon to maneuver with great precision and dexterity.
Faster Healing after Hernia Surgery
The da Vinci system is particularly effective for procedures in the abdomen and pelvis that require surgeons to maneuver multiple instruments within a small space. These include hernias, which occur when an organ or tissue protrudes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall.
General surgeon Cory Banaschak, D.O., uses the da Vinci system for routine hernia procedures and larger, more complex cases. “The robot provides a three-dimensional, high-definition view of the surgical field and allows me to toggle between three different sets of instruments,” he said.
He added that the combination of his hands, the robotic arms and the wristed instruments give him a greater range of motion while cutting and suturing tissue. “I’m able to customize each surgery and use techniques that require a greater level of finesse,” he said.
Hernia surgery is almost always an outpatient procedure, with patients returning to work and normal activities a few days after surgery.
“About a quarter of my patients with inguinal (groin) hernias have had prior traditional, open repairs,” Dr. Banaschak added. “These patients report a much easier, faster recovery than they had previously.”
Dr. Banaschak also performs umbilical hernias, gallbladder, and colon surgery procedures with the da Vinci system.
Enhanced Control for Prostate Procedures
Urologic surgeon John Francis, M.D., uses the da Vinci system for prostatectomy to treat prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate gland).
“The da Vinci system allows me to work through small incisions and precisely remove tissue with minimal disruption to nerves and other vital structures,” he said. “The benefits to patients include less blood loss and a faster recovery and return to normal function.”
Dr. Francis also uses the system for procedures that require delicate surgical reconstruction of tissue, including pyeloplasty, which involves removing obstructions in the ureter, the tube that carries urine between the kidney and the bladder. He also uses it for bladder and kidney procedures.
It Takes a Team
Surgeons are just one part of the robotic surgery team at CRH. “We have a cohort of surgical nurses who are trained in assisting during da Vinci procedures,” Dr. Banaschak said.
He always emphasizes to patients that the robot is just a tool, albeit a highly advanced one, that helps surgeons achieve the best possible outcome. “For patients who have trouble picturing how robotic surgery works, we explain that it’s similar to laparoscopic surgery, but it gives surgeons an additional level of visualization and control.”
Benefits of Robotic Surgery
There are currently seven surgeons at CRH using the da Vinci system for a variety of procedures. The benefits include:
- Less tissue disruption and blood loss during surgery
- Less postoperative pain
- Reduced risk for infection
- Shorter hospital stays
- Faster post-op recovery
- Smaller scars
CARE YOU CAN TRUST
Watch how robotic surgery allowed CRH's own Chief Medical Officer, Tom Sonderman, M.D., recover faster to get back on the job.