Regional One Health recently introduced the Intuitive da Vinci DV-5 robotic surgery system at its Outpatient Surgery Center and inpatient surgery facility.
As the only hospital in Memphis with this advanced technology, we can offer more patients minimally invasive robotic procedures for a variety of conditions.
These procedures have excellent outcomes and involve an easier recovery, less risk, and less scarring so patients can get back to normal activities more quickly.
Regional One Health is home to Memphis’ only Intuitive da Vinci DV-5 robotic surgery system, the best available technology for minimally invasive robotic procedures.
Dr. Evan Glazer, a national leader in the surgical treatment of pancreatic and liver cancer, said that’s excellent news for patients with a variety of conditions. In most cases, he said, patients who have a robotic procedure go home the same day and have a much faster recovery.
While not every patient can have a robotic procedure and not all surgeries can be done robotically, Dr. Glazer said having advanced tools available when robotic surgery is an option is a huge benefit for patients and providers.
“This is one more tool we offer at Regional One Health to provide the right operation for the right patient at the right time,” Dr. Glazer said. “Having more options and more flexibility for the patient is always beneficial, and this helps us personalize and customize a patient’s care based on their diagnosis, physiology and anatomy, as well as their unique needs and goals.”
Dr. Glazer answered some of the main questions patients have about robotic surgery.
What happens during a robotic procedure?
After the patient is prepped for surgery, they’re taken to a sterile operating room.
“We bring in the robot and robotic surgical equipment, and the surgeon scrubs in and makes small surgical incisions by hand,” Dr. Glazer said. “Then, we place ports through the incisions so we can place the surgical instruments in the patient.”
“Having more options and more flexibility for the patient is always beneficial, and this helps us personalize and customize a patient’s care based on their diagnosis, physiology and anatomy, as well as their unique needs and goals,” said surgical oncologist Dr. Evan Glazer.
Then, the surgeon moves to the robotic surgery console, which is situated inside the OR a short distance from the patient. Watching on a high-definition monitor, the surgeon uses the robot’s highly sensitive arms and full range of imaging modalities to perform the surgery. “As I move the controllers, the robotic arms move at the same time,” Dr. Glazer explained.
A surgical assistant is at the patient’s side throughout the procedure, both to monitor the patient and to change surgical instruments as needed.
When the surgery is done, the patient is moved to a recovery room for observation.
What are the advantages compared to traditional surgery?
“Minimally invasive surgeries, where we do smaller incisions, have excellent outcomes and are just easier to recover from,” Dr. Glazer said. “That has been shown across the spectrum of all surgeries. Smaller incisions allow for faster recovery, and that helps patients go home faster – no one wants to be in the hospital, so it’s a big benefit.”
As Dr. Glazer explained, the smaller incisions mean less bleeding, less risk of infection and other complications, less pain, and less scarring – all keys to an easier recovery.
With the Intuitive da Vinci D-V system, there are additional advantages.
“Before we had the option of robotic surgery, minimally invasive techniques didn’t have as much flexibility because the systems didn’t have the same joints as a person does,” Dr. Glazer said. “Robotic systems have a lot more joints, which gives us more flexibility during an operation.”
The DV-5 is the most advanced robotic system available, with the highest resolution monitor, most complete set of imaging capabilities, and greatest variety of surgical tools.
“I can feel the instrument move in my hands, so I get more feedback,” Dr. Glazer said. “There are a lot of steps in a minimally invasive surgery, and the DV-5 allows us to customize those steps to personalize each patient’s care. Those steps are also a little faster with the DV-5, and that means less time in the operating room and usually allows patients to go home sooner.”
Which procedures can be done robotically?
Minimally invasive robotic procedures use smaller incisions, so patients experience less pain, fewer complications, and a faster recovery. The goal is to get patients back to normal activities more quickly.
Dr. Glazer said the list is lengthy and will continue to expand.
At Regional One Health, there are two Intuitive da Vinci DV-5 robots in the Outpatient Surgery Center and one in the main operating room, where surgeons perform inpatient procedures. Therefore, patients can have robotic procedures for conditions that require a hospital stay and for several levels of outpatient surgery.
“Having multiple robotic systems in multiple areas of the hospital enables us to give patients options and provide the best possible care for each person,” Dr. Glazer said.
In the Outpatient Surgery Center, many patients have surgery in the morning and go home that afternoon. Others are monitored longer or even stay in the hospital overnight but can still have their procedure in the outpatient facility, which is typically an easier process than being admitted to the hospital.
Procedures include elective hernia repair and gallbladder removal, some cancer surgeries, gynecologic procedures including hysterectomy, and urologic procedures.
While Dr. Glazer stressed some procedures can’t be done robotically and some patients aren’t good candidates for robotic surgery due to the location of the disease, pre-existing scar tissue and other factors, there are numerous cases where robotic surgery is an excellent option. That list will continue to grow thanks to academic surgery practices like the one offered at Regional One Health through its partnership with University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
“The list is expanding immensely as academic surgeons continue to push the envelope in terms of what we can do robotically,” Dr. Glazer added. “As academic surgeons, we can provide state-of-the-art surgeries in a safe environment so we can bring the latest care to our community sooner than they would receive it otherwise.”
Learn more!
If you have a condition that may require surgery, talk to your health care provider about your options and the care available at Regional One Health.