Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1213128
the company that provides the robotic technology. Through the work of the surgeons, OR staff and the unique partnership with Intuitive, Crouse Health has become the regional leader. "Crouse Health has the highest number of robotic surgeons in the area, including 25 multi-specialty surgeons, each providing the highest level of quality to our patients by using the robotics technology," Dr. Lam says. THE FUTURE Considering recent advances in robotic technolog y and the accomplishments of Crouse's robotics team, it's exciting to imagine what more the future might bring. Dr. Sadowitz believes Crouse may increase the number of robotic surgical systems it uses to five. "Robotic surgery is fast becoming the standard of care for many surgical conditions," Dr. Sadowitz says. "More than 40 companies are vying to get into the robotic surgery market, so it makes sense that there will be a role for robotics in every operating room in the country. There will be very few places or areas of surgery where robotics won't be involved." Dr. Lam also sees an exciting future involving the next generation of robotic surgical systems. "I think the new technology will be more intuitive, with many alert signals to notify surgeons when a situation during a procedure may require additional attentiveness, such as moving in the proximity of adjacent blood vessels. The launch of the newest technology may occur within the next 12 to 18 months," Dr. Lam says. "At Crouse, we're prepared to be one of the first to successfully adopt new generations of robotic surgical system technology." For more information about robotic-assisted surgery ser- vices offered at the Crouse Institute for Robotic Surgery, visit Crouse.org/robotics. n " We perform a procedure called a total proctocolectomy and ileal-anal pouch — sometimes referred to as j-pouch or an s-pouch. With robotic-assisted surgery, this procedure can be done sparing the anal sphincter, which means the patient will usually not need a permanent ostomy. With traditional surgery, these patients were hospitalized for one week to 10 days. After a robotic-assisted total colectomy, the patient can typically go home in three to five days." — JOHN NICHOLSON, MD, COLON AND RECTAL SURGEON AT CROUSE HEALTH " When using the robot platform for cholecystectomy, a special imaging system [Firefly fluorescence imaging] helps to highlight the bile duct. Such illumination helps minimize the risk of injury to this fragile structure during dissection." — BENJAMIN SADOWITZ, MD, FACS, BOARD- CERTIFIED GENERAL SURGEON AT CROUSE MEDICAL PRACTICE – GENERAL SURGERY. M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A L N E W Y O R K ■ 2 0 2 0 0 9