How Robotic Gastrectomy Surgery Helps Treat Stomach Cancer

Surgery is one of the most common forms of treatment for stomach cancer. It is often combined with other treatment options to prevent it from spreading and give patients a better chance at remission and survival. In advanced cases, surgery may be recommended for palliative purposes. Patients considering gastrectomy surgery should review the following information on how advantageous the use of robotics in their procedures can be for their situations.

What Is Robotic Gastrectomy?

Robotic gastrectomy can be performed as a total, partial, wedge resection, or transgastric resection procedure. The type of surgery recommended is dependent on a multitude of patient factors, including the degree of cancer, location, and depth of spread. Robotic gastrectomy is an option that most stomach cancer patients can benefit from and should consider incorporating into their treatment plans.

The state-of-the-art da Vinci Robotic system increases the safety of the procedure for patients and improves their results so they can regain their health and quality of life. The da Vinci Robotic surgery system enables the surgeon to treat and remove malignant stomach tumors and abscesses, such as gastrointestinal stromal (GIST) and adenocarcinoma tumors and benign lesions, such as leiomyomas and polyps.

Stomach cancer gradually becomes more aggressive as it spreads. In some cases, stomach cancer surgery may include an exploratory component to rule out metastasizing tumors in other areas than the initial surgical site. Surgery usually includes the removal of a small amount of nearby healthy tissue. Unlike traditional and some alternative surgical cancer treatments, the robotic gastrectomy procedure is minimally invasive so even patients who would normally experience surgery delays due to other health conditions, prior abdominal surgeries, and personal circumstances can effectively treat their stomach cancer much sooner for a better outcome.

Advantages of Using the da Vinci Robotic System for Stomach Cancer Surgery

Robotic stomach cancer surgery using the da Vinci Surgery system gives the surgeon more dexterity to perform the procedure and greater control over the outcome. The robotic system makes it possible to perform the entire procedure with fewer and significantly smaller incisions. It is equipped with a special high-definition camera that transmits colorful, real-time 3D, magnified images with enhanced clarity to a monitor so the surgeon can see tissues and identify more abnormalities or cancerous cells that are restricted by normal eyesight. With four highly dexterous arms and special surgical instruments to enhance the surgeon’s surgical skills, the risk of complications and scarring is minimal.

• The robotic system makes it easier for the surgeon to see inside of the body and more accurately identify hidden or undetected tumors or abnormal, cancerous tissues.
• The da Vinci robotic system has four arms that use seven degrees of freedom. Each arm has a rotation capacity of 180 degrees, giving it far greater flexibility and range of motion than a highly skilled surgeon’s hands alone.
• Attached to each arm are tiny advanced surgical instruments. The surgeon uses a console to control the system and perform the surgery.
• The robotic system is so advanced that it makes cutting, dissecting, and other surgical techniques more precise.
• The enhanced range of motion, visual clarity, and precision of the robotic system make it possible for stomach cancer patients who would normally not qualify for surgery to have their tumors removed with fewer risks, complications, and better results.

The da Vinci Surgery System is one of the most effective and fastest options to remove mild to advanced stomach tumors of varying sizes and rare forms of stomach cancer. Traditionally, cancer surgery is performed as open surgery, requiring one large incision or laparoscopically with smaller several cuts. Surgeons would normally rely on diagnostic results, traditional visual aids or magnifiers, and a manual and visual inspection of the tissues and organs inside of the patient during the procedure to determine which and the amount of diseased and healthy tissue to remove. Traditional stomach cancer surgery has a higher rate of patient complications and risks than laparoscopic and robotic-assisted procedures.

Patients enjoy the following benefits of robotic gastrectomy:

Minimal scarring – In traditional stomach surgery, the surgeon makes a large single incision across the stomach and abdomen. A larger surgical site means there’s more tissue manipulation, injury, and scarring potential. Sutures or staples are normally used to close the incision, thus further increasing the likelihood of scarring and physical/cosmetic effects for the patient.

Laparoscopic stomach cancer surgery uses fewer noticeably smaller incisions in different areas of the stomach that are just large enough for the doctor to insert his hands or laparoscopic tools to minimize the risk of scarring. With the robotic surgery system, stomach tumors are removed from the body via the tiniest possible incisions that are just large enough to insert the tiny advanced surgical instruments on the robotic system. The cuts are so small that they heal faster and there is less noticeable scar tissue.

Less invasive – Smaller and fewer surgical cuts are required so the surgeon doesn’t have to manipulate or cause unnecessary damage or injury or remove excess tissues, muscles, and organs in the surgical areas, unlike traditional surgery.

Fewer complications and lower risks – surgery is often a traumatic experience for both the mind and body. Robotic-assisted surgery is more tolerable for the patient. It causes less soreness, bleeding, bruising, and healing discomfort and impairments making it a less unpleasant and burdensome experience to recover from. Just like most surgical procedures, there are risks, such as an adverse reaction to medications or anesthesia and bleeding or infection at the surgical site.

Quicker recovery – Unlike regular or open gastrectomy, robotic surgery patients recover faster because there is less physical trauma for their bodies to repair during their recoveries. They can resume their normal daily and lifestyle activities much sooner because they have fewer postoperative restrictions.

To learn more about the da Vinci Robotic Gastrectomy procedure and how you can benefit from it, call Orange County Robotic General Surgery at (714)-541-4996 for a consultation with Dr. Abtin Khosravi, MD.

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