Is robotic surgery for you?
It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie: robots performing surgery on humans. But robotic surgery isn't a far-flung concept of the future; it's a real, state-of-the-art technology available to you right now at Legacy.
First, let's clear up a common misconception: robotic surgery doesn't mean a robot is controlling the procedure. On the contrary, our robotic systems can't be programmed to make any type of surgical maneuver without your surgeon's input. Instead, the system allows your surgeon to make incredibly precise movements of micro-instruments within the operative site.
Questions? Please email us at robotics@lhs.org.
The benefits of robotic procedures
- A robot such as the da Vinci® Surgical System allows greater surgical precision. The robot holds miniature instruments and can be manipulated with more agility and in ways impossible for a human hand — even around corners.
- Robotic surgery is "laparoscopic," meaning minimally invasive, when compared to traditional "open" surgery. Instead of one long incision, the surgeon makes smaller incisions that are a mere 1/4- to 1/2-inch in length. Minimally invasive surgery may result in:
- Less blood loss
- Reduced chance of infection
- Less prominent scarring
- Shorter hospital stay and recovery time
- For most patients, minimally invasive surgery also yields less pain, reducing the need for pain medication and minimizing the length of time you'd need to take it.
- All this can lead to substantially shorter recovery times and a quicker return to normal activities.
A range of robotic procedures
Currently, our da Vinci® robotic surgical systems are being used in these areas:
Additionally, Legacy Salmon Creek and Legacy Meridian Park offer MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. This minimally invasive procedure resurfaces only the diseased portion of the knee, sparing healthy bone and tissue and allowing patients to return to their active lives faster than ever before. Legacy Salmon Creek also offers MAKOplasty total hip replacement.
Talk to your Legacy health care provider for more details. And welcome to the future of surgery.