The History of LapaRobotic Surgery
Robot-assisted surgery might sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but robotics and medicine have intersected for decades. Pioneers in the field like Dr. Scott Miller have developed and perfected the union between medical robotics and laparoscopy. Unlike traditional urological surgeries that require large incisions and increased risk of complications, LapaRobotic procedures involve tiny incisions that are minimally invasive. If you need a urological procedure done, like a prostatectomy, then you may want to know more about LapaRobotic surgery. Read below to learn more.
What is LapaRobotic Surgery?
It is what it sounds like – a combination of laparoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. Technically, it is a laparoscopic surgery using an added layer of technology. Historically, the standard method of removing the prostate, called an open prostatectomy, has been highly invasive. This surgery requires an eight to ten-inch vertical incision in the belly to gain access to the prostate. With the advent of laparoscopic surgery, this has changed. A laparoscopic prostatectomy allows the surgeon to use a small camera with attached surgical tools to locate and remove the prostate. It takes just a couple small abdominal incisions.
How Adding Robotics Changed Things
The addition of robotics has added another dimension to the laparoscopic procedure – one that relies less on human manual control and more on technology to enhance precision. With the help of robotics, LapaRobotic surgeons use a specialized arm to manage the surgical tools for easier access to the prostate and fewer complications. The addition of robotics to this procedure allows for:
- Better attention to detail
- Enhanced safety
- Less blood loss
- Shorter hospital stays
A surgeon specializing in LapaRobotic surgery is experienced in both laparoscopic procedures and robotics. By combining these two revolutionary processes, Dr. Scott Miller created a system that allows surgeons to work in real time using ergonomic finger controls. The operating doctor controls the tools necessary to complete the procedure from outside the body using an advanced interface and 3-D screen. This provides fewer respiratory complications, lowers the patient’s risk of needing a blood transfusion, and improves the post-surgical quality of life such as lowering the rates of incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
If you are undergoing a prostatectomy, it’s important to know your options. Dr. Scott Miller not only specializes LapaRobotic surgery, he pioneered it. Give Dr. Miller a call today at 404-705-5201 to learn more and schedule a consultation.
