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"Complications can create the need for prolonged hospita l stays and time away from work and family," Dr. Atwa says. "The benefits that I have seen with robotic-assisted surgery as compared to laparoscopic or open procedures include fewer lea ks, blood tra nsfusions, ICU admissions, hospital readmissions and visits to the emergency room, as well as cost savings." A not her sig n i f ica nt adva nta ge of robotic-assisted surgery is the reduced need for prescription opioids. "Patients have less pain [after surgery]," Dr. Atwa says. "Many people only use over-the-counter pain relievers, or they only need a few prescription pills instead of 30. There's less chance of becoming addicted to opioids. With overdose death due to opioids up 54% in 2020 for a record 93,000 people, reducing exposure to opioids makes a difference." Patients a re not the only ones who benefit from robotic surgery. The use of robotic assistance provides surgeons m a n y a d v a nt a ge s o v e r b o t h op e n surgery and minimally invasive laparo- scopic procedures. "Robotics help increase skill level by 15% to 20%," Dr. Atwa says. "Surgeons can be more precise, more comfortable and have less fatigue." Robotic-a ssisted surger y removes many of the limitations of laparoscopic procedures. While laparoscopy offers some of the same benefits to patients, such as shor ter hospita l stays, it ca n be more cha llenging for surgeons, as it uses 2D imagery and limits the sur- geon's movements. During robotic-assisted procedures, the surgeon manipulates the robot's arms while seated at a console that offers a 3D view of the surgical site magnified 10 times. Incorporating tremor-filtration technology and wristed instruments, the robot allows the surgeon to use precise movements with a much greater range of motion than the human hand. Surgeons experience reduced arm, finger and hand fatigue and better dexterity, which leads to higher accuracy and faster surgery completion times. COLON RESECTION Dr. Atwa is a leader in performing robot- ic-assisted colon resections, which are done to treat chronic or recurrent divertic- ulitis, cancer, and large polyps that cannot be removed during a colonoscopy. This surgery has traditionally been performed as an open procedure. "More than half of colon resections in the U.S. are still done through an open surgical procedure," Dr. Atwa says. "When colon resections are performed as an open surgery, patients are at higher risk for infections and hernias, and they stay in the hospital longer. It takes about six to eight weeks to recover because of the larger incision." About 95% of the colon resections Dr. Atwa performs are now robotic-as- sisted procedures. Usi ng da Vi nci's integrated Firefly fluorescence imaging capability, he can visualize and evalu- ate the blood supply of the remaining colonic segment more effectively than with the naked eye, which dramatically reduces complications. "Patients can now go home faster than before, usually within one to two days instead of three to five days," Dr. Atwa says. "They have less pain and can return to their normal activities faster." Mather and St. Charles Hospitals are two of only a few hospitals to offer robotic surgery 24/7. As a result, patients are able to receive the very best surgical option regardless of the time of day. IMPROVED HERNIA REPAIR While open surgery for hernia repair is still common in the U.S., with about 60% of procedures performed in the conventional method, Dr. Atwa performs many hernia repairs robotically, including all inguinal, incisional and ventral hernias. "We have had very few recurrences," he says. "Most patients go home the same day. Inguinal hernia surgeries usually take about a half an hour. In the case of a bilateral hernia, the procedure takes an extra 10 minutes." In addition to the benefits associated with robotic surgery — reduced compli- cations, with fewer infections and shorter recovery times — hernia surgeries have become more advanced in other ways in recent years. For example, because using tacks to secure surgical mesh could A Hour of Surgery, a Lifetime of Difference A simple, safe and precise procedure that takes less than an hour to perform will help obese patients lose 1/3 or more of their weight, resolve most if not all their medical problems, and enable them to feel and look better. Dr. Atwa tells a patient about different bariatric procedures that will ensure long-term weight loss success and improve his health. M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 0 2 2 0 7

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