MDNews - Mid Hudson

Dr. Connery also performs robotic technol- ogy, utilizing the da Vinci Si HD and Xi Surgical Systems at Vassar Brothers Medical Center to perform the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques. VATS utilizes a series of small incisions for insertion of minuscule cameras that relay high-definition imagery back to a video- monitoring system and provide the means to optimally stage the cancer, a critical first step to treat the patient, Dr. Connery notes. Health Quest's commitment to providing specialists with robotic technology is evident with its purchase of two advanced da Vinci robotic surgical systems. When Dr. Connery joined Health Quest, his vision was to create a robotic-assisted thoracic surgery program. The technological advances of the da Vinci system provide Dr. Connery and other surgeons the highest caliber of precision, high-definition imaging, allowing for smaller incisions and less blood loss while performing surgical interventions. "The da Vinci Xi device has more capabilities for thoracic surgery, includ- ing specialized staplers, dexterity and three-dimensional visualization," he says. "Having the ability to do a minimally invasive approach, whether it is video- or robotic-assisted, is vital. Oncology outcomes are equivalent to open surgery; however, in general there are fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, less pain and faster recovery for patients with the minimally invasive approach." Lobectomy, surgical removal of a lobe of the lung, and lymph node dissections are the most common procedures utilizing the da Vinci or VATS technologies, depend- ing upon the diagnosis and patient needs. When treating patients with esophageal cancer, Dr. Connery teams with James Nitzkorski, MD, a surgical oncologist spe- cializing in gastrointestinal malignancies who is also trained in the use of robotics. "We have the expertise and experience to deploy these tools when appropriate," Dr. Connery says. "We work together to give cancer patients quality of life and time." High-risk lung cancer patients are also evaluated using a personalized multidisci- plinary team approach. "We have an outstanding radiation oncology team at Health Quest. Knowing how critical effective collabora- tion is to providing excellent care made it easy for me to decide to come here from Manhattan," Dr. Connery says. "Dr. Connery is a very sought- after surgeon and could have chosen to practice in a number of academic settings," says Sandi Cassese, Vice President of Oncology for Health Quest. "We're fortunate that he brought his expertise to the community hospital setting, knowing that we would give him all the support necessary to implement this lifesaving program." Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Oncology treatments with stereotactic ablative radiation are another component of Health Quest's comprehensive thoracic oncology program that can be targeted and tissue-sparing. "Many factors come into play to deter- mine the treatment regimen," Dr. Connery says. "For high-risk lung cancer patients or for those with a metastasis, stereotactic ablative radiation therapy can be directed by a complex computer-generated plan to provide a high-dose radiation beam to a very small area, accounting for movement while a patient is breathing. Patients receive three to five treatments, and these certain techniques and maneuvers limit radiation collateral damage for healthy tissue sur- rounding the cancer." Innovative Chemotherapies For cancers that spread to the lining of the chest wall, such as thymomas, Dr. Connery has seen positive results utilizing an innovative treatment of intra- operative hyperthermic chemotherapy perfusion, available at Health Quest. "A malignancy that starts in the thymus gland in front of the heart and high in the chest almost to the neck may shed tumor cells into the chest wall," Dr. Connery explains. "In those occasions when the cells spread into the chest space, it is extremely difficult to remove all of the disease. Therefore, we remove the visible tumor and treat the microscopic disease area with high-dose chemotherapy." A pump pushes the chemotherapy fluid at a rate of one liter per minute through the affected chest area at a heated and controlled temperature that can also be effective for patients with mesothelioma and ovarian carcinomas, according to Dr. Connery. "The heat and high-dose chemotherapy spread throughout the lining of chest," he says. "We can kill the residual disease cells without delivering high doses of chemotherapy directly into the blood- stream. We have this chemotherapy as an option if the primary disease site is controlled, and the persistent disease in the chest can be removed either with standard open surgery or with minimally invasive, robotic surgery techniques and then treated with hyperthermic-perfused chemotherapy. We can collaborate and design a treatment for the patient that makes sense, taking into account the extent of disease and the patient's wishes to determine the best combination of treatments and support." STAR Rehabilitation Health Quest earned designation as a Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation (STAR) certified cancer program by Oncology Rehab Partners, a national cancer advocacy group. The STAR pro- gram certification denotes the use of a multidisciplinary approach to meet cancer patients' needs through provider training, treatment protocols and patient outcomes combined with continuing education. "Providers from different disciplines — medical oncologists, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, social workers and It all starts with the office team, providing ready access and helping to coordinate care. M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Mid Hudson | 9

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