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A HUB OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE HEALTH QUEST'S MINIMALLY invasive surgical capabilities extend far beyond general and colorectal surgery to also include urological procedures, gynecologic and gynecologic oncology procedures, gastrointestinal surgery, and hepatobiliary surgery. In addition, Cliff P. Connery, MD, FACS, Medical Director for the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Medical Director for Health Quest Medical Practice's Division of Thoracic Oncology, performs robot-assisted thoracic surgery, including lobectomy, using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System. "Health Quest is a physician-led organization that is dedicated to providing multidisci- plinary, quality care," says John Choi, MD, MS, FACS, minimally invasive colorectal surgeon on the medical staff at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Northern Dutchess Hospital. "We believe in remaining at the forefront of technology in all areas of surgical oncology and general and minimally invasive surgery, which translates into better care for our patients." "Surgery is an innovative field — as the instruments change, so do the techniques and technologies. The progression from open surgery to laparoscopic surgery to robotic surgery has been very natural. The surgical robot is just one additional technique surgeons can use to enhance outcomes for our patients." — John Choi, MD, MS, FACS, minimally invasive colorectal surgeon on the medical staff at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Northern Dutchess Hospital Patients are the first priority for Dr. Choi and the robot-assisted surgery team at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. They offer multiple treatment options and are able to help patients make informed decisions about their health care. da Vinci Xi Surgical System's EndoWrist Vessel Sealer or Stapler. The tumor or diseased colorectal tissue is dissected from the healthy tissue, and the correction of rectal prolapse is performed as needed. Developments in Single-site Surgery Dr. Choi utilizes the da Vinci Surgical System to perform single-site cholecystec- tomy, a virtually scarless procedure that is completed through a 2.5-centimeter incision in the patient's umbilicus. The robot-assisted single-site technique is similar to the laparoscopic single-site tech- nique, but the robotic system offers several advantages, including use of the Firefly Fluorescence Imaging System. Compatible with both the da Vinci Si and Xi surgical systems, the Firefly Fluorescence Imaging System uses infrared technology to acti- vate and track indocyanine green dye, which allows physicians to better visualize critical structures such as the bile ducts and determine if organs are receiving adequate blood supply. In addition, the robot-assisted technique is more intuitive than the laparoscopic approach because the robot allows sur- geons to continue to visualize their left and right hands on the left and right sides of the monitor, even if their instruments cross inside the surgical port. Enhancing Outcomes Following Hernia Repair With the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, Dr. Choi can repair simple and complex, multiquadrant ventral and inguinal her- nias. During a robot-assisted hernia repair, the surgical ports are placed on the unilateral part of the patient's body with the camera facing upward, which allows surgeons to visualize the abdominal wall and hernia. Dr. Choi clears the hernia of tissue to ma ke sure there is no obstruction within the hernia and then closes the primary defect with sutures and places mesh to reinforce the repair. Using the surgical robot, Dr. Choi is able to suture mesh upside down when needed, which is more difficult and time-consuming to complete laparoscopically. For Dr. Choi, however, one of the biggest advancements of the da Vinci Xi M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Mid Hudson | 9