When medication, lifestyle changes and other non-surgical treatments cannot relieve symptoms, surgery is the accepted treatment for a wide range of conditions. If surgery is recommended, you want to learn as much as you can about all of your surgical options. It is also important to find a doctor and hospital that are right for you.
While surgery is generally the most effective treatment for many conditions, traditional open surgery is highly invasive; it requires a large incision that often leads to a hospital stay of a week or more and a lengthy recovery.1,2
Open surgery is rarely used for certain procedures such as gastric bypass to treat obesity or Heller Myotomy to treat the swallowing disorder achalasia. This is due to both the drawbacks of open surgery and the success of minimally invasive procedures such as bariatric (weight loss) surgery.
Fortunately, minimally invasive options are available to many patients facing not only gastric bypass surgery, but several other types of procedures.
- Gastric Bypass for Weight Loss
- Gastrectomy for Stomach Cancer
- Distal Pancreatectomy for Pancreatitis & Pancreatic Cancer
- Heller Myotomy for Achalasia
- Cholecystectomy for Gallbladder Removal
1Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, Patient Information for Laparoscopic Colon Resection from SAGES. Available from: http://www.sages.org/sagespublication.php?doc=PI09
2Hellan M, Anderson C, Blenhom JD, Paz B, Pigazzi A. Short-Term Outcomes After Robotic-Assisted Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 200710;1245
While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci Surgical System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. There are no guarantees of outcome. All surgeries involve the risk of major complications. Before you decide on surgery, discuss treatment options with your doctor. Understanding the risks of each treatment can help you make the best decision for your individual situation. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual; it may not be applicable to your condition. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits. Only your doctor can determine whether da Vinci Surgery is appropriate for your situation. The clinical information and opinions, including any inaccuracies expressed in this material by patients or doctors about da Vinci Surgery, are not necessarily those of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. and should not be considered as substitute for medical advice provided by your doctor. © 2010 Intuitive Surgical. All rights reserved.
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