Portneuf Medical’s “Center of Excellence” shows off new Hernia Robot Surgery Technology
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – June is hernia awareness month, and some surgeons at the Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello are highlighting new technology to ensure each hernia surgery goes as smoothly as possible.
The technology has taken off in the world of surgery, changing how doctors operate on many injuries, including hernias.
"We do a lot more complex uses, different planes, different anatomical places to place the mesh," said Dr. Jorge, a general and trauma surgeon at Portneuf Medical Center. "All of it is because we are so close and we're so precise that the robot has really revolutionized hernia repair."
Dr. Jorge explained the surgeries take slighly more time in the operating room, but have been significantly easier for patients to recover from. The patients don't get as large of an incision and can return to work sooner, sometimes, within days of their operation.
The surgeons also wanted to clarify the robots are under human control throughout the surgery. Doctors can remotely control the arms of the robot, using its specialty tools and optics.
"It's still our hands controlling the arms, it just takes any little tremor out of the process and holds everything so precise," Dr. Jorge said. "It's better than your naked eye cause it's also so close, I feel like the robot optics are better than my naked eye."
The optics on the robot are so impressive that it can read the writing on the buildings on a five dollar bill. Dr. Jorge says technology is advancing very quickly, but it's important to have autonomy and control over the technology in the operating room.
Each hernia case is different and some don't even require a surgery. A hernia occurs when an internal organ pushes against muscle or tissue, causing a bulge in an area of the body, commonly on the stomach or groin area.
"We may have to repair them even though they are asymptomatic," Dr. Jorge said. "Just based on the characteristics of the hernia, what we find in the CT scan, it's important to at least get evaluated and we can have a discussion on whether to operate now."
If the patient doesn't receive an immediate operation, or is suspicious they have a hernia, it's important to watch for warning signs of an emergency situation.
"The worrisome complication is when a bulge doesn't go away," he said. "It becomes hard and extremely tender. You might have nausea, vomiting and things like that from the obstruction, even a little change in the color of your skin on top of it."
Those symptoms, Dr. Jorge says, are cause to go to the emergency room.
Hernia is now its own specialty within the medical world, with surgeons like Dr. Jorge receiving specific training and certifications in hernia surgery. Doctors say its become increasingly important to get care from a high-volume center, like the Portneuf Medical Center, meaning the doctors have had many cases in that specific surgery.
"The more you do, like with anything, the better you get," Dr. Jorge said. "The more touches you have on the robot the better you get. For us, it's really important to see a lot of hernias, do a lot of repairs because you tweak the process a little bit every time and the results get better with time and practice, too."
Dr. Jorge said he believes it's a trend we'll continue to see with hernia surgeries and more specialized centers will pop up around the country. Even with the new robots, doctors still encourage outpatients to take it easy for several days before returning to work or physical activity after the surgery. Patients can leave the same day they arrive for their operation, with patients receiving a full abdominal reconstruction being the only ones kept at the hospital for several days.
If you're concerned you may have a hernia, local surgeons encourage you to come to the Portneuf Medical Center office to get it checked immediately.
