Is Robotic Surgery Right for You?
July 15, 2019 | By Kamrun Jenabzadeh, MD, FACS
For most of you, the answer to that question will be, “Yes!” Robotic surgery gives surgeons a magnified 3D high-definition view inside your body and enables us to perform precise movements of small instruments. While patient situations may vary, these features of robotic surgery typically provide many advantages when compared to open surgery or laparoscopic surgery, such as:
- Shorter length of stay. Many robotic surgeries are performed as same-day surgeries. As a result, you may get back to work sooner – lessening your out-of-work costs.
- Fewer complications. Due to the smaller incisions, you may be less likely to experience infections or significant blood loss with robotic surgery.
- Less pain medication. You may require fewer narcotic pain medications. This is particularly pertinent in our age of an opioid epidemic.
- Smaller, less visible scars. Robotic surgeries use smaller incisions than open surgeries, and some robotic surgeries can even be performed through a single site. As a result, you may be less vulnerable to infection and blood loss.
Robotic surgery also provides advantages for surgeons, which can translate into better outcomes for you.
- Enhanced visualization. The 3D visualization of a robot offers your surgeon a better view of the surgical site than he or she can get with a laparoscopic procedure.
- Improved dexterity and range of motion. Surgeons using the robot have the ability to “feel” the motion and anatomy, thus gaining a greater degree of articulation than with other instruments.
- Improved access. Smaller instruments and better visualization lead to improved access.
- Decreased surgeon fatigue. Because robotic surgery permits your surgeon to remain seated at a console during the procedure instead of standing at the bedside, the ergonomics are better, and fatigue is lessened.
Our surgeons are certified in the da Vinci® Surgical System and have performed some of the highest number of robotic surgeries in the Upper Midwest. Talk with your doctor about whether or not robotic surgery is right for you.