From the thought of a long recovery to pain you might experience after your procedure, it’s common to worry when you learn you need surgery. But thanks to new minimally invasive surgical techniques, like robotic and single-port surgeries, surgery today is more precise than ever before — and less onerous for patients.
Types of Minimally Invasive Surgery
Minimally invasive surgery has evolved in recent years, moving from laparoscopic techniques to robotic — and even more innovative — procedures.
“When I first started as a surgeon, everyone did open operations,” shares Sharona Ross, MD, president of the Society for Robotic Surgery and foregut and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon with AdventHealth Tampa. “But we quickly began moving to less invasive approaches, including single-incision laparoscopy for simpler procedures or multi-incision robotics for complex ones.
In our practice, minimally invasive surgery includes both robotic and single-port surgery:
- Robotic surgery uses a mechanical arm and small tools to perform surgery. The surgeon controls the robot from a console, which allows greater precision than could be achieved during an open or laparoscopic procedure. These procedures often involve several small incisions.
- Single-port surgery, the latest advancement in minimally invasive techniques, is a kind of robotic procedure performed through one small incision in the abdomen. All surgical instruments go in through that incision and are controlled through a console, bringing a higher level of precision and visualization than could be achieved with other techniques.
These techniques can be used to treat a long (and growing) list of conditions, including:
- Achalasia
- Acid reflux/GERD
- Esophageal cancer
- Gallbladder disease
- Gastric benign and malignant diseases
- Hiatal hernia
- Pancreatic cancer
“I like technology that’s new, innovative and meaningful for patients,” says Dr. Ross. “Once we’ve mastered a new technique, we’re always looking for what’s next — and for opportunities to share it. That’s why we take a leading approach in teaching these procedures to surgeons across the country.”
Today, single-port robotic surgery is the next level of innovation and gives us the chance to further improve surgical outcomes for patients in Florida and around the world.
Advantages of Minimally Invasive Surgery
Minimally invasive procedures offer patients many advantages over open procedures, including:
- A lower risk of hernia and other injuries
- A lower risk of pneumonia
- A quicker return to bowel function
- A quicker return to work and other activities
- Less inflammation
- Less pain
- Less time recovering in the hospital
- No requirement to recover in the intensive care unit
- Smaller and fewer incisions with less scarring
- The ability to receive chemotherapy sooner (for cancer patients)
- The ability to walk around after the procedure
“We think if we can minimize the trauma of touching other organs during these operations, patients can do better,” says Dr. Ross. “These procedures can continue to improve patient care, impact recovery and improve survival, especially for patients with cancer.”
Better Options, Less Down Time
When you come to AdventHealth Tampa for care, you’re in good hands. Our experienced surgeons perform a high volume of these procedures, including the most robotic Whipple procedures in the region, and pilot techniques for new preventative procedures.
Surgery doesn’t have to set you back. Our experienced team is ready to treat your condition and get you back on your feet, faster. Learn more.
About Dr. Ross
Board-certified advanced Foregut and HPB surgeon, Dr. Ross has garnered nearly 20 years of vast knowledge and professional experience in her field. A frontrunner in her specialty, she also serves as Director of the Advanced GI and HBP Surgery Fellowship at AdventHealth Tampa Digestive Institute, which trains new surgeons to master minimally invasive complex operations.
