PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The Lebanon VA Medical Center will begin using a da Vinci robotic assisted surgical system later this month, with the goal of providing benefits to veterans like shorter hospital stays and faster, less painful recoveries, according to VA surgeons.
The system will be used in urology, colorectal, and general surgery for procedures such as hernia repair, colectomies, cholecystectomies (gall bladder removals), and prostatectomies.
Also according to VA surgeons, what makes this technology remarkable is that it's managed by humans.
“The robot is like an extension of my hands,” Dr. Thomas Clements, a urologist trained on the machine, said. “It does not make any decisions on its own. This makes most patients more comfortable with the technology. I am very happy to be able to offer this option to my patients.”
Lebanon VAMC performed more than 4,750 surgeries in 2019. The facility intends to grow its robotic surgery program even more.
The first robotic surgery using this new system is scheduled for June 11.