First East Bay Robotic-Assisted Gallbladder Surgery at Alta Bates Summit, Oakland

Posted on Apr 16, 2012

Can you imagine having your gallbladder removed in about the same amount of time as a lunch break, with minimal discomfort? Patients who come to Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland can.

Using the latest breakthrough in robotic-assisted procedures, Alta Bates Summit surgeons performed the first two robotic single-incision gallbladder removals (cholecystectomy) in the San Francisco East Bay Area with the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System on Monday, April 16.

da Vinci robotics improves gallbladder surgery says East Bay specialist

“The combination of this exciting new technology and our highly skilled surgical team will result in better surgical out comes for our patients. It’s less invasive and results in quicker recovery and cosmetic satisfaction with no visible scar,” says Alta Bates Summit surgeon Steve Stanten, M.D., chief of surgery at the Summit Campus in Oakland.

Watch Dr. Stanten explain robotic-assisted gallbladder surgery.

About 1.2 million gallbladder removal surgeries are performed in the U.S. each year, including about 2,500 in the East Bay. The gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ that sits just below the liver on the upper right side of the abdomen, collects and stores bile–a digestive fluid produced in the liver–and its removal can relieve the pain and discomfort of gallstones.

According to the American College of Surgeons, surgery is the recommended treatment for gallbladder pain from gallstones and nonfunctioning gallbladders.

In the past, gallbladder removals were performed with a large opening in the abdomen or laparoscopically, which requires four small incisions. Most people who require gallbladder removal are candidates for the robotic, single-incision surgery.

Single site technology provides enhanced surgical precision, control and stability with 3D HD visualization. During the procedure, called a “single incision robotic-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy,” a single incision is made in the patient’s bellybutton (navel).

The surgeon sits at a console viewing 3-D, high-definition images while using controls below the display to move robotic arms with attached surgical instruments inside the patient to remove the diseased gall bladder.

da Vinci single incision surgery a winning combination for San Francisco East Bay patients

“This is a great benefit to our patients,” Dr. Stanten said. “It is one more step in our goal to make surgery less invasive, less difficult and safer for the patients who trust us with their health.”

The da Vinci system has been used for an array of other types of surgeries and was just recently FDA-approved for single-site gallbladder removals. The system enables surgeons to reduce the traditional number of incisions to one incision.

“Robotic surgery and single incisions are not new–however, combining the two to remove the gallbladder requires special training and equipment,” says Steve O’Brien, M.D., vice president of medical affairs. “Being the first hospital in the East Bay to offer this technology and advanced surgical skills demonstrates Alta Bates Summit’s commitment to provide patients with the latest, safest and least invasive surgical options.”

Benefits of minimally invasive procedures and this new surgery can include minimal scarring, less pain, less bleeding, a fast recovery and a short hospital stay, enhancing quality and safety and improving patient satisfaction. The surgery can be performed in less than one hour with a typical hospital stay of two hours.

“This is another step toward expanding the use of this tool for more procedures,” said Dr. Stanten. “The robotic system gives us the ability to not only operate through one small incision and through a natural body opening like the umbilicus, but it gives me the precision and three-dimensional, high definition vision system to enhance surgical capabilities.”

Learn more about robotic assisted-gallbladder removal from our Sutter East Bay Region doctors

We have a long history technological innovation in the East Bay: Our surgeons at Alta Bates Summit were some of the first to adopt robotic surgery.

On Oct. 2, 2012, come meet the actual da Vinci®robot and hear from a panel of experts about the surgical applications that are relevant for a variety of health conditions. The robot will be available for “hands on” time from 3 p.m. until the presentation at 6:30 p.m. at the Women’s Health Center in Lafayette:

3595 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 350
Lafayette, CA
925-962-9129

Staying healthy in the East Bay

The pace of life is busy in the Bay Area–from our freeways to the shopping malls to our day-to-day work interactions–we are constantly on the move. Safeguard your health and enjoy each day to the fullest by seeing your doctor when needed.

Whether you are looking for a gallbladder specialist or a new family doctor, Sutter East Bay Region has many specialists to choose from located in cities like Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga. Visit the Doctorforyou.com to find the right doctor for you.