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This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about advances in surgical technology and techniques. Previously, we learned about a robot surgeon that’s capable of being more precise than a human surgeon.
Surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center have been among the first to use the robot to perform gastric bypass and colon resection surgeries. It’s also useful for other colon, gastric and esophageal operations. Dr. Edward Livingston, chairman of gastrointestinal and endocrine surgery at UT Southwestern, says the robot will probably become more popular for these kinds of surgery because it can reach harder-to-access areas in the abdomen.
The robot surgery is laparoscopic, meaning it’s done with instruments and a miniature video camera inserted through small slits. This results in faster recovery times, less post-operative pain and fewer complications.
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February 2007
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