Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is a type of minimally-invasive surgery where a surgeon remotely controls mechanical robotic arms and small instruments instead of performing the procedure with their own hands. Robotic surgery allows doctors to perform delicate procedures with exacting precision through very small incisions.

Using robotic surgery allows the surgeon to scale down larger movements to very tiny movements by the robotic instruments and reduces the hand tremors and other movements, present in all people, which could make surgery less accurate. The robot precisely matches the surgeon’s hand movements on the controls, which is not possible with traditional laparoscopy. This allows more easy access to hard to reach areas of the body and has significantly smaller incisions compared to older open surgical techniques.

Robotic surgery has proven to reduce hospital stay duration, the need for post-operative pain medications and to lessen the need for transfusions. It allows a patient to return to normal daily activities more quickly than traditional open surgery and with potentially improved surgical results. In addition, this form of surgery has been shown to offer improved surgical outcomes for obese women who may be at a higher risk for surgical complications. Because robotic surgery is so precise, patients often have a smaller post-operative scar than with standard surgical techniques.

When performing robotic surgery, a physician surgeon sits at a computer station nearby and directs the movement of the robot. A camera encased in a thin tube allows the surgeon magnified 3D views of the surgery in real time. The robotic arms enable the surgeon to rotate 360 degrees approaching the surgical site from virtually any angle thus enabling greater flexibility, range of motion, and precision.

Robotic surgery is used to treat endometriosis, adhesions (scar tissue), and fibroids. It is excellent for putting fallopian tubes back together after a patient has had her tubes tied and can also be used to perform hysterectomies and other procedures.

For more information on robot-assisted surgery or to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, call us at 303-321-7115 or contact us via email.