Austin, Texas (PRWEB) April 29, 2014 -- A new minimally invasive surgical approach, referred to as "see and select," allows the surgeon control over how many tiny incisions are needed - from 1-5- as he or she sits at the DaVinci Robotic Surgical System® console. This new advanced technological platform, called Single Site, ensures the fewest possible incisions, and in many cases, a single two-finger-width incision.
Dr. Devin Garza, OBGYN with Renaissance Women’s Group in Austin, is among the very first surgeons in the U.S. trained to perform this single site, "see and select” approach. He was invited as international guest lecturer to present single site robotic surgery at the prestigious Austrasian Gynecologic Endoscopy Society meeting in Sydney, Australia.
“It was so exciting to speak with so many surgeons about my experience-based opinions with the robotic platform, and what it has meant for my patients and our OBGYN group,” said Dr. Garza. “This advanced method enables us to decrease our open laparotomy rates for hysterectomy, myomectomy and sacrocolpopexy, and now offer many procedures through a single cosmetic incision through the belly button.”
Dr. Garza, one of two Austin physicians invited as international faculty, moderated a live single site surgery to introduce an international audience to the technique. The video was transmitted from the operating theatre to a large group of 350 surgeons in the main auditorium in Sydney.
Australia is in the early adoption phase for single site robotic surgery; the U.S. rolled out the new DaVinci platform for Gynecology 9 years ago, and has employed the surgical system for other specialties for more than 13 years.
Advantages of Single Site Hysterectomy
Single site hysterectomy, now approved by the FDA, involves one virtually undetectable incision that a surgeon makes in the umbilicus (belly button). In addition to hysterectomy, the most common women’s surgery after C-section, gynecological applications for the multi-site robotic surgical approach include:
Myomectomy
Endometriosis
Pelvic floor prolapse
Dr. Garza performed the first single incision robotic hysterectomies in Austin, and among the first in the U.S. Designated as one of twenty-nine Epicenter Surgeons in the US, he instructs surgeons in the DaVinci method, and expects to welcome attendees from the Australian conference to Austin for follow-up sessions.
Renaissance Women’s Group currently reports having among the highest minimally invasive surgical rate in the U.S. RWG physicians trained to provide advanced robotic surgical services include:
Melanie Collins, MD
Devin Garza, MD
Clarissa Gutierrez, MD
Kimberly Loar, MD
Laura Meritt, MD
Tara Mills, MD
Jessica Montalvo, MD
Sherry Neyman, MD
Ginger Truitt, MD
Laurette Smith, MD
Depending on pathology, the majority of doctors believe that open surgery is not in their patients’ best interest, Dr. Garza added. “A minimally invasive robotic platform makes us better surgeons, and is a better approach for all but 1 to 2 percent of cases.”
A Decade of DaVinci
Doctors have performed more than 1.5 million surgeries using the DaVinci Robotic Surgical System®. The advantages include greater visualization (3D-HD) and dexterity (wristed articulation of instrumentation) for the surgeon, and less pain, discomfort, scarring and recovery time for the patient.
Not every obgyn patient will be a candidate for a single incision hysterectomy, but many will find that they can opt for this modern choice.
Amy Hall, Renaissance Women's Group, http://www.rwgdocs.com/, +1 (214) 893-8214, AMY@CATALYSTHCM.COM
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