Hackensack University Medical Center hosts 'Leading the Way in Robotic Surgery' Symposium for Area Physicians

The robotics team at HUMC has performed over 25,000 robotic surgeries. That’s an accomplishment only 1% of hospitals in the nation can also claim. What’s more, the team has trained some of the best surgeons both around the world and across the country.

On Thursday, January 18, Hackensack University Medical Center hosted ‘Leading the Way in Robotic Surgery,’ a symposium for physicians to showcase and discuss the future of this exciting technology as well as recognize the many good outcomes it has achieved so far.

Mark D. Sparta, FACHE, president & chief hospital executive of Hackensack University Medical Center and president, North Region of Hackensack Meridian Health, opened the event, remarking on the incredible advancements HUMC has made in this field.

He then gave the floor to Lisa Tank, M.D., FACP, CMD, chief medical officer at Hackensack University Medical Center. Ami P. Vaidya, MD, vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology & co-chief, Division of Gynecologic Oncology; Steven A. Lee-Kong, M.D., division chief, Colorectal Surgery; Michael D. Stifelman, M.D., chair of Urology and director of Robotic Surgery; Howard M. Ross, M.D., chair in Surgery/surgeon-in chief; Stephen G. Pereira, M.D., chief, Division of General Surgery and director of Robotic General Surgery; and Nabil Rizk, M.D., chief of Thoracic Surgery, all spoke with enthusiasm and expertise on the technology’s current success at HUMC and its bright future.

Some of this technology was made available in the lobby of the Helena Theurer Pavilion for the visiting physicians to not only see but physically use. This includes the Da Vinci Surgical System-Xi is the most advanced platform for minimally invasive surgery available today.

The four-armed surgical robotic system combines advanced computer technology with the experience of skilled surgeons. This tech provides the surgeon with a 10X magnified, high definition 3D-image of the body’s intricate anatomy. The controls in the console allow the surgeon to manipulate special instruments that are smaller and more flexible than the human hand. What’s more, the robotic arms with endowrists have 360+270 degree maneuverability, another ability surpassing the capability of human hands.

The Ion Platform was also made available. This novel technology allows thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists to navigate the human lung’s intricate tissue and vast networks of narrow and delicate airways to access hard-to-reach nodules.

The minimally invasive, robotic-assisted tool, helps doctors identify lung cancers earlier and more accurately than previously existing technologies, enabling patients to start effective treatment sooner and obtain better outcomes

The symposium also featured testimonials from two patients who directly benefited from robotic assisted surgeries.

One of them was HUMC’s own Tara Neves, RN. Tara has been an operating room nurse with the robotic surgery team for more than six years. So, naturally, when she herself needed a robotic surgery procedure, she knew just who to choose to perform it.

You can learn more about Tara’s story in this issue of the Pulse.

The second patient to speak was Leonard Croog, who had a unique story. Leonard had pancreatic cancer for 4 days before having it removed by the robotics team. As important as his story was, Leonard also took care to inject a lot of humor into it, causing several bouts of laughter throughout his speech.

Afterwards, all in attendance were offered the chance to take a tour of the operating rooms as well as try their hand at using some of the machines on hand. When they returned, Dr. Stifelman, Dr. Vaidya, Dr. Rizk, Dr. Ross and Dr. Pereira sat for a discussion panel.

“When it comes to delivering robotic surgical outcomes that consistently exceed national benchmarks for safety and quality, experience matters,” said Ami Vaidya. “When patients choose Hackensack University Medical Center for their robotic surgery, they receive care from some of the country’s highest-volume surgeons — many of whom are fellowship-trained, have been performing robotic surgical procedures for decades, and conducted groundbreaking research to advance the field of robotic-assisted surgery. It is our pleasure to share this knowledge with our surgical colleagues from around the country and the globe.”