Minimally Invasive Surgery for Cancer Treatment
Loyola University Health System recently became the first hospital in Illinois to use a robotic surgery system for oral, head and neck tumors. We are offering more and more surgical treatments that are minimally invasive – like the robotic surgeries – for our patients with cancer. These less invasive methods can be used for a number of surgical procedures that would otherwise require large incisions and long recovery times.
Minimally invasive techniques are used in the following practice areas of the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center:
- Gastroenterology services
- Gastrointestinal oncology
- Gynecologic oncology services
- Surgical oncology
- Thoracic and lung oncology
- Urologic cancer services
Our board certified surgical oncologists apply the latest technology with their extensive surgical experience. The minimally invasive robot technology is designed to provide surgeons with enhanced capabilities, including three-dimensional visualization, precision and control.
For patients, the benefits are significant and may include:
- Improved healing
- Reduced blood loss
- Shorter hospital stay
- Shorter recovery time
- Smaller incisions
- Quicker return to normal activities
- Less damage to surrounding healthy tissue
Sometimes, using the robot means less time in the operating room and less time under anesthesia.
The robotic system works by translating your surgeon's hand movements on the robotic controls into more precise movements of the miniaturized instruments that are inserted into the body.
A tiny camera is inserted through a small incision so that the surgeon can see inside the body on a three-dimensional screen and control every move of the robotic arms from a computer console. The robot's arms are fully jointed, allowing them to turn and grasp with more agility and precision than the human hand.
Loyola recently reported the first LARIAT procedure in the region as a possible solution for complex kidney cancers in difficult cases. In this surgery – a Laporoscopic-Assist Renal Incising Auto Transplant – a kidney is removed during a minimally invasive procedure, and the tumor is removed while the kidney is outside the body. The kidney is then returned to the patient through the same small incision. Previously, a patient with this kind of cancer would likely have lost his or her kidney, and in some cases end up on dialysis. At Loyola, we continue to be innovative and explore similar unique options for patients facing difficult problems.
Loyola has years of experience in robotic prostatectomy, which is becoming a mainstream option for managing patients with early-stage prostate cancer – the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. Loyola offers recognized regional expertise in this specialized procedure, as well as all aspects of prostate cancer care, no matter how complicated the case.
The future looks more promising for patients with a variety concerns who undergo minimally invasive surgeries. Not only is recovery faster, but these treatments permit a faster transition to other therapies that are sometimes needed to improve care rates even more.
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For an appointment or for more information about Minimally Invasive Surgery for Cancer Treatment, call (888) LUHS-888 (888-584-7888).
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM
