MDNews - San Antonio

+++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++ + +++ + +++++++++++++++++++++++++ HOSPITAL ROUNDS PEDIATRIC UROLOGISTS AT METHODIST CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BRING ROBOTIC SURGERY TO CHILDREN Jeffrey A. Leslie, MD, and Juan C. Prieto, MD, pediatric urologists at Methodist Children's Hospital, are the first in San Antonio to perform robotic surgery on children ages 5 to 18. Using the da Vinci Surgical System ® , a robot controlled by a surgeon seated at a console with hand and foot pedals, surgeons can make very precise, complex motions that are facilitated by robotic technology. The surgeries address issues including abdominal pain, blood in the urine and kidney stones, as well as reduced kidney function, urine reflux from the bladder to the kidney and urinary obstruction. Children who are candidates for the surgeries may be diagnosed with obstructions of the urinary tract or have abnormalities of the kidneys and/or urinary tract. "Robotic surgery is an excellent alterna - tive to a large-incision surgery and an even better option than laparoscopic surgery in some instances," says Dr. Prieto. "One advantage of the da Vinci Surgical System ® is better visualization that is high-definition and three-dimensional, providing surgeons with an optimal view of the abdominal structures and organs without the need for a large incision." Advantages of smaller incisions include less pain as the child recovers, reduced use of pain medication, less risk of infection and a shorter recovery time. "For parents whose children need surgery for urological problems, this is an excellent alternative," says Dr. Prieto. "Also, recent studies have shown no difference in terms of success rates between robotic pyeloplasty and open or laparoscopic pyeloplasty." CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF SAN ANTONIO ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION WITH CENTROMED In an effort to bridge gaps in pediatric medicine in San Antonio and offer high- level, quality care throughout the city, the Children's Hospital of San Antonio has solidi - fied agreements with CentroMed to provide convenient primary care for San Antonio's smallest patients. "Our mission in building San Antonio's first stand-alone children's hospital is to connect and develop those relationships that make it easy for parents to provide the medical care their children need," says CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System President and CEO Pat Carrier. "For primary care, specialist care, urgent care and hospi - tal care, we are aligning the best minds and hearts in pediatric medicine." CentroMed operates 21 primary care clinics in San Antonio with a key focus on underserved populations. As part of the agreement, the Children's Hospital of San Antonio is providing resources to help CentroMed acquire six new pediatric providers. "The Children's Hospital of San Antonio's mission aligns with ours — that all kids come first, regardless of their ability to pay," says CentroMed President and CEO Ernesto Gómez. "To give our kids the best, we must work together. The Children's Hospital of San Antonio's focus on provid - ing a healthcare home for kids, along with its open care model under which academic, primary care pediatricians and specialists work together, makes the process easy. It escalates the medical care for our kids in a way never done before." The announcement comes on the hinges of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations that children should have a medical home where patients have a personal physician who knows them well and coordinates all their care. "We fully support the AAP," says Carrier. "It's always been our goal to sup - port San Antonio's pediatricians — they are the link that keeps the care chain working together." ■ What's New at Area Hospitals M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS San Antonio | 1 1

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