Advancing medicine using the most innovative surgical procedures is at the heart of AdventHealth’s surgical programs. In fact, some of the cutting-edge techniques we use – and develop – involve no cutting whatsoever.
While not every case is eligible for minimally invasive surgery, many surgeries once performed “the old-fashioned way,” with open incisions requiring lengthy recovery time and considerable pain, can now be done using minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic procedures. Both have benefits of smaller incisions and result in fewer side effects, reduced healing time, less scarring, and faster returns to normal activity.
For Routine and Complex Cases
During a laparoscopic or robotic surgery, a surgeon inserts a thin scope with a tiny camera through a few small incisions in the abdomen. The surgery can be completed with the use of instruments that allow the surgeon to manipulate the organs that otherwise would require large incisions. Because the incisions are smaller than with an open surgery, this procedure often requires a shorter recovery time, shorter hospital stays, faster return to work, less pain, and lower chances of wound infections.
Robotic surgery has revolutionized complex surgery for many cancers, including prostate, gynecologic (ovarian, uterine and vulvar), stomach, pancreas, liver and colon. Using the robot allows surgeons better visualization and precision. The robotic instruments are driven by the surgeon who is present in the operating room during the procedure.
Over the last several decades, many studies have shown that minimally invasive techniques are safe in patients with cancer who require surgery. “The old paradigm that ‘big tumors require big incisions’ is being constantly challenged by the utilization of minimally invasive approaches that facilitate access to cavities through smaller incisions expediting recovery while maintaining sound oncologic principles,” Dr. de la Fuente says. “These approaches allow patients to return to the baseline level of functionality and activity faster than procedures done through larger incisions.”
Minimally invasive and laparoscopic techniques make it possible to address the wellbeing of the whole patient. It’s not enough to perform a procedure – a patient’s comfortable recovery and return to health are essential parts of the surgical plan. AdventHealth’s esteemed surgical experts blend world-class surgical technology with leading-edge care and award-winning hospitals.
Dr. Sebastian de la Fuente, MD, is board certified in general surgery with special certification in advanced surgical oncology. He specializes in surgical interventions for gastrointestinal, liver and bile duct diseases, as well as for benign pancreatic disorders, pancreatic cancer, sarcomas and melanomas. He is active in research and is at the forefront in the development of minimally invasive techniques for patients with cancer. To learn more about minimally invasive surgery for a variety of procedures, visit AHCentralFloridaSurgery.com or call 407-303-7399.
