MedStar Georgetown Achieves Three Robotic Surgery Firsts in One Week

Robotics

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has reached three major robotic surgery milestones, advancing minimally invasive treatment across breast, colorectal, and thoracic care.

MedStar Georgetown completed three robotic surgery firsts in one week
Surgeons used the da Vinci SP single-port robotic platform
Breakthroughs included breast, colorectal, and thoracic procedures
Patients benefited from fewer incisions, reduced pain, and faster recovery
The hospital continues expanding robotic surgery across multiple specialties

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has achieved three major medical milestones by successfully performing groundbreaking procedures using the da Vinci SP (Single-Port) robotic surgical system within a single week. The achievements mark significant progress in robotic surgery and minimally invasive healthcare.

The first milestone was achieved when Dr. Lucy De La Cruz, chief of the Breast Surgery program, completed a robotic bilateral nipple-sparing mastectomy on a breast cancer patient via a single four-centimeter incision under the breast. The surgery involved an immediate breast reconstruction, sentinel lymph node biopsy, and a nerve-sparing technique for sensation preservation, which is not commonly performed in robotically-assisted breast surgery.

Dr. De La Cruz said the technique makes it possible for patients to have their cancer surgery completed, while also achieving better cosmetic results and preserving sensation in their breasts. The patient was discharged from the hospital only hours after the surgery.

The very next day, colorectal surgeon Dr. Tushar Samdani carried out two surgeries of the region's first single-port robotic surgery that involved partial bowel resection and colostomy. The procedures were carried out without any other incisions in the abdomen using the stoma area as the entry point for the robot.

The third achievement came as Dr. Marc Margolis carried out the first single-port robotic operation in the Mid-Atlantic region, where he carried out a thoracic lobectomy of the patient's lung using a single entry point under the rib cage and not between the ribs. It has been reported that patients have experienced lower pain levels, lesser use of narcotics, and successful recoveries.

Hospitals stated that such procedures illustrate the manner in which the latest developments in robotic surgery in medicine have continued revolutionizing the treatment of cancer surgeries, among others by minimizing surgical trauma while upholding high clinical standards.

Thomas Fishbein, Chair of Surgery stated that such accomplishments show the dedication of MedStar Georgetown towards improving the quality of medical care using novel methods. In addition, the hospital will be applying the Da Vinci SP Robotic Surgery Platform in the treatment of urological and head & neck surgeries. Business Honor believes single-port robotic surgery represents a major step toward safer, less invasive, and more patient-focused healthcare innovation.