da Vin­ci

Hernia Surgery

A hernia occurs when tissue pushes through an opening in your muscles or connective tissues, and can only be repaired with surgery. Prompt hernia treatment is important as hernias cannot heal on their own and can increase your risk of complications. If your doctor decides that a surgical repair is right for you, talk to your doctor to see if robotic-assisted surgery is right for you.

Robotic hernia procedures performed at Onslow Memorial:

• Inguinal Herniorrhaphy
• Ventral Herniorrhaphy
• Hiatal Herniorrhaphy
  • Fundoplication

During a robotic-assisted hernia repair surgery, your surgeon will use a 3-D high-definition camera for a crystal-clear and magnified view of your hernia and operate through a few small incisions using tiny instruments. Your surgeon fully controls all of these instruments—every hand movement is translated by the da Vinci Surgical System in real-time to bend and rotate the instruments for a precise repair of your hernia.

Specific benefits of robotic hernia repair include:

• Small incisions (reduces scarring, blood loss, and risk of infection)
• Decreased pain (no tacks or transfascial sutures)
• Shorter recovery
• Lower recurrence rate for ventral hernia
• Lower complication rate for ventral hernia

Get a robotic hernia repair and get back to the life you love sooner, and with less pain during recovery. Ask your doctor about the minimally invasive da Vinci surgical system.

Gynecologic Surgery

When medication and noninvasive procedures are unable to relieve symptoms, surgery remains the accepted and most effective treatment for a range of gynecologic conditions. These include, but are not limited to, cervical and uterine cancer, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse, and menorrhagia or excessive bleeding.

Traditional open gynecologic surgery, using a large incision for access to the uterus and surrounding anatomy, has for many years been the standard approach to many gynecologic procedures. Yet with open surgery can come significant pain, trauma, a long recovery process and threat to surrounding organs and nerves. For women facing gynecologic surgery, the period of pain, discomfort and extended time away from normal daily activities that usually follows traditional surgery can understandably cause significant anxiety.

Fortunately, less-invasive options are available. Some gynecologic procedures enable surgeons to access the target anatomy using a vaginal approach, which may not require an external incision. But for complex hysterectomies and other gynecologic procedures, robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may be the most effective, least invasive treatment option. Through tiny, 1-2 cm incisions, surgeons using the da Vinci System* can operate with greater precision and control, minimizing the pain and risk associated with large incisions while increasing the likelihood of a fast recovery and excellent clinical outcomes.

Prostatectomy Surgery

Treatment options and prognosis for Prostate Cancer depend on the stage of the cancer and the patient’s age and general health. Thankfully, early detection rates are on the rise and mortality rates are declining. New advances in medical technology are helping cancer patients return to active and productive lives after their treatment.

Traditional open Prostatectomy surgery requires a 4-5 inch long standard incision for access to the prostate gland. This longer incision results in a longer recovery time with a greater risk of complications and wound infection than with the da Vinci Surgical System.

The da Vinci Surgical System offers many potential benefits when compared to traditional open surgery, including less pain, a more precise removal of cancerous tissue, faster return of erectile (sexual) function in patients who are potent prior to da Vinci Surgery, and a better chance for return of urinary continence. Recent studies show more patients with da Vinci Surgery have full return of urinary continence within six months when compared to patients having open surgery.

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and are considering surgery – ask your doctor about minimally invasive da Vinci Prostatectomy at Onslow Memorial.

General Surgery

da Vinci Surgery is another minimally invasive option for patients facing abdominal or gastrointestinal surgery (such as gallbladder and hernia). Instead of a large abdominal incision used in open surgery, da Vinci surgeons make a few small incisions - similar to traditional laparoscopy. However, the da Vinci System features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and special wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrist. As a result, da Vinci enables your surgeon to operate with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control. State-of-the-art da Vinci uses the latest in surgical and robotics technologies and is beneficial for performing complex surgery.

Your surgeon is 100% in control of the da Vinci System, which translates his or her hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside your body.

Important: As with any surgery, any stated or implied benefits cannot be guaranteed since surgery is specific to each patient, condition and procedure. Consult your physician about all treatment options, including the risks and benefits, for you and your specific condition.

Q. What are the benefits of da Vinci Surgery compared with traditional surgery methods?

A. Some of the major benefits experienced by surgeons using the da Vinci Surgical System over traditional approaches have been greater surgical precision, increased range of motion, improved dexterity, enhanced visualization and improved access. In traditional open surgery, the physician makes a long incision and then widens it to access the anatomy. Benefits experienced by patients undergoing da Vinci Surgery may include a shorter hospital stay, less pain, less risk of infection, less blood loss, fewer transfusions, less scarring, faster recovery and a quicker return to normal daily activities. None of these benefits can be guaranteed, as surgery is necessarily both patient- and procedure-specific.

Q: Is da Vinci Surgery covered by insurance?

A. da Vinci Surgery is categorized as robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, so any insurance that covers minimally invasive surgery generally covers da Vinci Surgery. This is true for widely held insurance plans like Medicare. It is important to note that your coverage will depend on your plan and benefits package. As with any medical service, prior to the procedure check with your insurance carrier about coverage details and also provide your physician with the name and details of your plan.