GET DAILY REPORT FREE
The latest in robotic surgery technology is right here in Baton Rouge.
Our Lady of the Lake Robotic Surgery Institute added to its fleet of six robots in February with a new robotic system that’s one of only 170 in the world. Surgeons at Our Lady of the Lake are using the innovative Da Vinci Single Port (SP) robot to perform complex procedures through one single incision or opening in the body—giving them incredible precision while also drastically reducing the impact on the patient in comparison to traditional open surgery.
Sagar Kansara, MD, Rula Mualla, MD, and Michael Dileo, MD, head and neck oncologic surgeons, were the first to use the SP Robot in an operation at Our Lady of the Lake for a successful cancer resection at the base of the tongue. The patient is recovering well and expected to quickly return to their everyday life.
Existing surgical robots use multiple ports, or arms, to enter the chest or abdomen through a few small incisions. The endoscope and other operating instruments on the robots are all maneuvered by highly skilled and trained surgeons in the operating room. These surgeries include procedures on the gallbladder, colon and lungs and can treat conditions like hernias, cancer, acid reflux and obesity.
The new Da Vinci SP combines all its instruments on one single arm that can enter through one incision or even through the mouth. Such minimally invasive techniques mean less scarring, decreased impact on sensitive organs and faster recovery times for the patient.
“By implementing the SP robot, we’re furthering our commitment to providing the most innovative and advanced robotic surgery to Louisiana and surrounding states,” said Dr. Daryl Marx, medical director of Our Lady of the Lake Robotic Surgery Institute. “It allows us to perform complex urologic and head and neck procedures even less invasively than before, which provides patients a quicker and often easier recovery.”
Dr. Marx is considered the No. 1 robotic surgeon in the South based on the more than 4,000 surgeries he’s performed using Da Vinci’s robotic systems. He also trains the next leaders in robotic surgery from around the region.
And because the Da Vinci SP joins six other robots currently in use at Our Lady of the Lake, there are up to four operations per machine happening each day—meaning shorter wait times for patients who are in need of surgery soon.
Find out more about Our Lady of the Lake Robotic Surgery Institute at ololrmc.com/robotics.
