Robotic Surgery Holds Great Promise for Bariatric Surgery Patients.

As many of you know, qver the last several weeks I have been observing robotic surgery, logging time practicing on the newest robot and doing a lot of planning for my first robotic gastric bypass operation scheduled on September 14th , just a little over two weeks from now.

Today I spent the entire day training in the robotic laboratory at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was an intense day with many hours in the console of the robot performing several operations, learning to “dock” the robot to the ports and instruments and learning much more about this elegant and sophisticated machine.

The training will continue nearly each day in preparation for the first operations but everything is progressing very smoothly.
I must say, I believe the da Vinci Robot is very likely to bring considerable value to my gastric bypass patients. I am even hopeful that many will be able to go home the day after surgery since I believe I will be able to decrease the incision “footprint” by about 50% and there should be even less discomfort involved with this operation.

Congratulations to Intuitive Surgical, Inc. for many improvements in the newest model of the da Vinci robot!

Posted by Stephan Myers, MD, FACS, bariatric surgeon, Columbus Ohio