Newswise — DALLAS (April 5, 2017) – Surgeons on the medical staff at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano* achieved a major milestone when they performed that hospital’s 1,000th robotic surgery March 31, nearly six years after initiating the program in November 2011.

Robotic-assisted cardiac and thoracic surgery pairs a surgeon’s skills with advanced robotic technology. Surgeons use minimally invasive techniques, meaning large surgical incisions are not required. The technology translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient.

According to the maker of robotic-assisted technology used by The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, the hospital’s cardiothoracic robotic program leads Texas in number of cardiothoracic robotic operations.** Cardiovascular and thoracic procedures that can be performed with the robotic surgical system include coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve repair and all thoracic surgical procedures.

Fifteen-year-old Camden Thrailkill, a talented football and baseball player, benefitted from robotic surgery for mitral valve replacement at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano last October. Traditionally, surgeons cut through the patient’s breastbone to access the mitral valve within the heart and the breastbone is wired together to heal. This approach would not have allowed Thrailkill to withstand direct hits to his chest during sporting events.

By choosing the robotic-assisted surgery, Camden only missed three weeks of school. He returned to a limited workout routine in November 2016 and successfully tried out for spring baseball at his high school.

“The surgeon has a lot more maneuverability with the robot compared to other minimally invasive techniques using long instruments that don’t have wrists,” said Robert L. Smith II, MD, a cardiovascular surgeon on the medical staff and cardiovascular surgical services vice chair at THHBP. “There are small instruments at the end of each wrist which provide a much greater degree of freedom when using sutures and other devices around the heart. It’s almost like having the surgeon’s hands in there.”

Kimble Jett, MD, medical director of thoracic surgery, notes how the robotic-assisted surgery can impact length of hospital stay positively. “If we take out a lobe of the lung robotically, most patients go home the next day,” Jett said. “By using the robotic-assisted surgical system, we can significantly reduce the trauma to the body that is associated with open chest cardiothoracic procedures. Having this technology allows surgeons to be less invasive, usually resulting in quicker patient recovery. It’s truly a win-win.”

Benefits to surgeons using the technology over traditional approaches may include greater surgical precision, increased range of motion, improved agility, enhanced visualization and improved access to the surgical site. The robotic-assisted surgery system integrates 3-D, high-definition (10 times  magnification) endoscopy and four robotic arms that wield cameras and complex surgical equipment into the surgical field, all controlled from a nearby console by a trained surgeon on the medical staff at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano.

About The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano

The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano (THHBP), Joint ownership with physicians, is a physician-owned cardiovascular specialty hospital with the highest cardiac surgery volume in Texas and the DFW Metroplex***. Part of Baylor Scott & White Health, THHBP is nationally ranked in key surgical specialties based on volume:  #4 in heart valve surgery* and #7 in heart surgery. Highly trained physicians on the medical staff and skilled clinicians, including a nationally recognized nursing staff, consistently deliver quality outcomes. In 2016, The Heart Hospital received a national ranking of 18th in the Nation in “Cardiology & Heart Surgery” by U.S. News & World Report, and was rated “High Performing” in five Adult Procedures/Conditions. Additionally, in 2014, THHBP became a member of a network affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic’s Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute. As part of this affiliation, the two hospitals share best practices, coordinate care and develop programs to improve quality and patient safety.

The hospital has been recognized more than a dozen times by Press Ganey® for outstanding patient satisfaction (Inpatient, Emergency Department), including receiving in November 2016 the prestigious Pinnacle of Excellence Award® on the basis of extraordinary achievement for patient experience.

About Baylor Scott & White Health Formed from the 2013 merger between Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare, the system referred to as Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest not-for-profit health care system in the state of Texas. With total assets of $10.8 billion* and serving a population larger than the state of Georgia, Baylor Scott & White Health has the vision and resources to provide its patients continued quality care while creating a model system for a dramatically changing health care environment. The system now includes 48 hospitals, more than 1,000 access points, 5,500 active physicians, and 44,000 employees, plus the Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance — a network of clinical providers and facilities focused on improving quality, managing the health of patient populations, and reducing the overall cost of care. For more information visit: 

bswhealth.com

Based on audited 2016 fiscal year statements

 

*Joint ownership with physicians

** ased on volume data provided by Intuitive Surgical.

*** MedAssets Performance Management Solutions, Inc. (as successor in interest to The Reilly Group, LLC d/b/a TRG Health Care Solutions, LLC), a Delaware corporation

 

Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers, Baylor Health Care System, Scott & White Healthcare or Baylor Scott & White Health ©2017 Baylor Scott & White Health

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