Robotic surgery is a cutting-edge technology that allows surgeons to perform complex procedures through tiny incisions. Smaller incisions mean less pain, less need for strong pain medication, a quicker return to normal activities, and better surgical outcomes. Because robotic surgery is so minimally invasive and precise, it is ideal for urologic surgery.
“Urology has been at the forefront of robotic surgery,” says Doylestown Health Urologist Dr. Nathan Peffer, “driven by the need to work in the most confined and difficult to access locations in the body.”
Robotic Surgery vs. Laparoscopic Surgery
Many patients are already familiar with laparoscopic surgery, another minimally invasive technique: the surgeon makes only a small incision and then inserts instruments and a laparoscope, a long, thin tube with a with a light and camera in it. The laparoscope serves as a guide, enabling the surgeon to take a biopsy or perform surgery through that small opening.
Dr. Peffer explains that robotic surgery is a similar concept but allows for even more precision: “During robotic surgery, a machine holds the instruments and cameras, which are controlled by the surgeon from a console in the same room. This allows for finer control and a wider range of movements compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery.” Dr. Peffer adds that with robotic surgery, “The view from the inside is 3D, so the level of precision and visualization is much higher.”
Robotic Urologic Surgery at Doylestown Hospital
Our hospital was the first in Bucks County to acquire the Intuitive da Vinci® Surgical System. To accommodate an ever-increasing demand and enhanced capabilities in robot-assisted surgery, we added a second system, the da Vinci Xi in 2019. In addition to urologic procedures, our specially trained surgeons also use the da Vinci system for colon and rectal, general, and gynecologic surgeries.
To further advance our culture of innovation and healing, we are augmenting our robotic surgery capacity. The construction of a state-of-the-art surgical suite is underway and will include over 16,000 square feet with additional operating rooms specially designed for robotic surgery.
“At Doylestown Health, we are performing robotic urologic surgery that only a few years ago would have required travel to a major city or academic center,” says Dr. Nathan Peffer. “For example, in patients with kidney cancer, robotic surgery gives us the ability to remove only the tumor and spare the remainder of the healthy kidney. This is done using only a few 1-2 cm incisions instead of the traditional open surgery approach of a very large and painful flank incision.”
Our robotic procedure capabilities in urology include:
- Radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate for cancer)
- Simple prostatectomy (removing the inside of the prostate to treat prostate gland enlargement)
- Nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy (removing a kidney or part of a kidney for cancer)
- Pyeloplasty (repairing a blockage of urine flow from the kidney)
- Reconstruction of the ureter injured by prior surgery or radiation
To learn more about how our team at Doylestown Health Urology can help you, contact us at 215.230.0600.
About Doylestown Health Urology
Board-certified Doylestown Health Urology specialists offer specialized treatment of a wide range of diseases and disorders of the urinary tract which includes the ureters, urethra, prostate, bladder and kidneys in men and women, as well as the reproductive tract in men. Our highly skilled surgeons treat common disorders as well as provide minimally invasive and advanced surgical options for complex conditions such as cancer.
