This is the first of a three-part series on robotic-assisted surgery available at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. This article provides a general overview of robotic surgery and its use for hernias, gall bladder removal and colon issues. The second story will explore how OB-GYNS use robotic surgery, with the third story focusing on the use of robotic surgery in the field of urology.

It used to be there were only open surgical procedures, where surgeons had to make larger incisions in order to obtain sight for the procedure. Then came laparoscopic surgery, during which operations are performed with the aid of a tiny camera inserted through small incisions in the pelvis or abdomen. Now, robotic-assisted surgery advances procedures even more.

“Robotics take minimally invasive surgery to the next level. It’s the next generation and evolution of that surgical technology,” said Dr. Zach Hartman, a general surgeon in Steamboat Springs and a member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. “It lets us do more complex surgeries as minimally invasive ones that previously would have been open incision procedures.”

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One of the most rewarding parts of offering robotic surgery is getting Yampa Valley patients back to their activities faster, whether it’s spending time with family and friends, enjoying outdoor recreation or getting back to work.

“Robotic surgery allows patients to recover quicker and resume their lives,” Hartman said. “It’s fantastic that we have this technology here in the Yampa Valley and close to home.”

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According to Hartman, robotic surgery is the cutting edge of general surgery, as patients typically experience less pain, less reliance on narcotics, less time in the hospital (many procedures don’t require an overnight stay, quicker post-op recovery times, and same, if not better, outcomes as compared to traditional surgery.

Hartman wants to dispel misconceptions about robotic surgery and decrease any potential anxiety patients might have.

“Some people hear the word ‘robot’ and get nervous,” he said. “Know that the procedures are precise, with the surgeon actively controlling the robot and present in the OR.”

In the operating room cockpit

In a typical robotic procedure, the surgeon would make a small incision, insert the robotic instruments and use a control console to move the instruments inside the body.

“There’s a control console that we use to move the robotic instruments,” said Hartman. “It’s like the cockpit of a plane, but we are just a few feet away from the patient, in the same room. It mimics my hand to make very precise and controlled movements needed for the surgical procedure.”

A huge benefit of robotic surgery is how it provides surgeons a 3-D view inside the body. One of the robot’s features is a tiny device that takes enlarged pictures that the surgeon views in real time.

“The optics on the robot are better than anything out there, as it’s similar with virtual reality goggles,” said Hartman. “The robot transfers pictures to us while giving us a view inside the body.”

Hartman performs robotic general surgery for gall bladder removal, colon cancer resection and hernia repairs. By using the robot, patients typically have a quicker recovery.

For instance, a typical recovery for a robotic-assisted hernia repair is about two weeks as compared with six weeks after a traditional open, and more invasive, surgery. Generally, over-the-counter pain medications are sufficient, and some patients can avoid narcotics all together.

“Open gallbladder surgery historically meant several days in the hospital,” he said. “With robotic surgery, it’s on an out-patient procedure.”

“Once patients understand what robotic surgery is and how it can help them spend less time in the hospital and have a quicker recovery,” Hartman continued, “they appreciate having these services available locally at YVMC.”

Mary Gay Broderick writes for UCHealth. She can be reached at marygaybroderick@comcast.net.