Erlanger East Hospital surgical services announced an addition – the da Vinci Xi Surgical System.

"With such technologies, Erlanger is positioned to offer patients additional advanced surgery access points," officials said. "Erlanger Surgical Services at East expands robotic capabilities for minimally-invasive urologic, gynecologic, colorectal and general surgery in the East Brainerd area. Less pain, faster recovery, small incisions and less scaring are just a few of the advantages of robotic technology.

In addition, this new robot allows the robot to rotate on itself so the surgeon can access multiple areas of the abdomen without repositioning the patient."
 
“We are proud to be able to offer these advanced procedures closer to home in a growing area of our community,” said Martha Weeks, BSN, CEO of Erlanger East Hospital. “Providing access to advanced technologies for minimally invasive surgeries enables us to continue treating patients where they live, work and play keeping them closer to home and their support systems.” 
 
Officials said, "This device is an enhancement in minimally invasive surgery as robots allow surgeons to see anatomical structures in the body with better definition and making hard to reach areas easier to access, a press release noted. Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery during which surgeons use very small surgical instruments that fit into a patient’s body through four to five, half-inch incisions. The instruments are mounted on three robotic arms and a fourth arm holds a magnified three-dimensional, high-definition vision system and tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrist."
 
Erlanger Urology Oncology Surgeon, Dr. Benjamin Waldorf said, "With the addition of the new robotic surgical system at Erlanger East, our urology team will be able to perform a greater number and variety of robotic urologic surgical procedures in an environment that is already familiar to and comfortable for our patients. I am currently performing robotic surgery at Erlanger East for prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and my partner Dr. Okafor utilizes the robot for complex female pelvic floor reconstruction. We bring fellowship-trained expertise in robotic surgery to Erlanger East, and we believe the addition of the new system will allow us to serve a greater portion of the men and women in the Chattanooga region."
 
Dr. Kent Childs, OBGYN, was the first surgeon to use the robot last week. Dr. Childs said, “Erlanger East is moving forward by leaps and bounds by adding the new system and will allow us to further grow the robotics program. Most importantly, these moves will greatly benefit our patients by improving patient care and outcomes.”