What is robotic surgery? You may be picturing a futuristic machine hovering over a patient on an operating room table, but the robot is just another tool a surgeon uses to complete an operation. While there are many surgeries that are performed via an open approach or the use of laparoscopic instruments with excellent clinical outcomes, MyMichigan Health now has three DaVinci XI surgical robotic platforms to accommodate a growing number of patients seeking out surgeons who offer robotic surgery as their preferred method of operating.
Minimally-invasive surgery, which encompasses both the laparoscopic and robotic platforms, has been shown in countless studies to improve patient outcomes, including shorter length of stay in the hospital, decreased surgical site infections, faster return-to-work time and decreased post-operative hernia rates.
So, how does minimally invasive robotic surgery help aid healing? Robotic surgery typically involves several ports that are placed in a patient’s abdomen through small incisions with the robot attaching to the ports. The surgeon uses a console located in the operating room and directs the movement of the robotic instruments with their own hands rather than being at the bedside of the patient and manually controlling the instruments. The robotic surgery platform offers additional advantages over the laparoscopic surgery platform by virtue of providing the surgeon with better mobility, magnification and precision, while performing delicate tasks such as stitching within the abdomen or dissecting in a narrow confined space.
Whereas there are not many head-to-head comparisons between the robotic and laparoscopic platforms and data to support use of one over the other, select studies show slightly better outcomes for some surgeons using robotic surgery when compared to laparoscopic surgery. Benefits include fewer complication rates, shorter hospital length of stay and fewer conversions to open surgery. It may also lead to a higher lymph node yield in colon cancer surgery, which could impact cancer outcomes.
A wide spectrum of minimally-invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery is being offered by our surgical oncology team, gynecologists, and general surgeons. Ask your surgeon today about whether your surgery can be done using either a laparoscopic or robotic platform, and they will make the right decision for you and your disease condition.
Sarah E. Diaz, D.O., is a board-certified, fellowship-trained colon and rectal surgeon and a member of the comprehensive cancer care team at MyMichigan Health. Dr. Diaz specializes in the diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of disorders and diseases of the intestinal tract, colon and rectum, pelvic floor, anal canal and perianal area. Dr. Diaz has extensive training in robotic abdominal and pelvic surgery and has a special interest in colon and rectal cancer as well as pelvic floor surgery for rectal prolapse.
