Robotic surgery part of the way AdventHealth tackles cancer
AdventHealth Gordon’s Dr. Hak Lee, who runs the robotic surgery program at the hospital, said it takes a lot of teamwork to make sure area cancer patients are taken care of from start to finish.
In addition to traditional surgery, AdventHealth Gordon also offers multispecialty robotic-assisted surgical procedures for various types of urological cancers. Lee brought robotic-assisted surgical skills to the hospital when he joined the team in 2015 and now leads the robotics program, enlisting other surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgeries using the high-tech system.
“We have over 400-plus cases that we’ve done,” he said. “People used to go to Atlanta or Chattanooga to get their care, but they can get the same care or better cancer care for urology right here in our community.”
Robotic surgery utilizes the da Vinci surgical system, which is the latest in robotic surgical technologies. Surgeons use the system by operating through a few small incisions with a 3D high-definition vision system and wristed in
struments that act more efficiently than human hands.
With less patient discomfort and improved results, minimally-invasive surgery using robotic systems has become an increasingly popular option over traditional open surgery and laparoscopic surgery. Patient benefits of robotic-assisted surgery include a shorter hospitalization
period, quicker healing and return to normal activity, reduced blood loss, and reduced post-procedure pain. For the physician using the robot, advantages include an enhanced and magnified view of inside the patient’s body, instruments that bend and rotate farther than human
hands, and overall enhanced precision and control.
Lee said robotic surgery offers a lot of advantages, from 10 times magnification to smaller incisions that result in less blood loss and faster recovery. The robotic
is considered a tool, an extension of Lee’s movements, but he said it’s the people in the program that make the biggest difference.
“The important thing for patients to understand is that the robot is just a tool,” he said. “But you need a good team to care for the patient from beginning to end.”
Patients come to Gordon County from around the state
to have cancer surgery at AdventHealth Gordon, many specifically for the robotics program, and Lee said patients have transitioned over the years from being amazed by the idea to now expecting that high level of precision. He said he’s looking forward to future expansion of the program.
“We’re always looking to grow,” he said.