Surgery can be daunting.  Questions about pain, recovery and length of stay are the most common concerns patients have. What if you could choose an option with smaller incisions, less pain and a quicker recovery? Sophisticated, robotic-assisted surgery at WellSpan could provide you with exactly that. WellSpan pairs highly experienced surgeons, with the latest technology to provide a minimally-invasive option for many types of surgeries.

With so many benefits, including increased patient satisfaction, WellSpan made it a priority to invest in robotic surgery in each of its eight acute care  hospitals, most recently adding the technology to Waynesboro and Gettysburg. Since the arrival of the first robot in 2008, WellSpan surgeons have become some of the most experienced in the state.  WellSpan York Hospital achieved the Center of  Excellence in Robotic Surgery accreditation, with six surgeons at the hospital achieving the designation of Master Surgeon in Robotic Surgery from SRC, an internationally recognized, nonprofit, patient safety organization dedicated to recognizing and refining surgical care.

Though it is often called a “robot,” the da Vinci  robotic system cannot act on its own and is  performed entirely by a specially trained surgeon. During robotic-assisted surgery, the surgeon sits at a specially designed console in the operating room near the patient and performs the surgery by moving robotic instruments. One instrument holds a lighted endoscopic camera that provides the surgeon with a three-dimensional, high-definition image of the surgical field inside the patient’s body.

The entire surgical team can see the field via a large viewing monitor. The other robotic arms hold  instruments, which the surgeon moves at the  console. These incisions made for robotic-assisted surgery are about the size of a dime, and usually can be covered with a small dressing about the size of a bandage after the procedure.

The superior visualization, enhanced dexterity,  greater precision and ergonomic comfort of the da Vinci® Surgical System makes it possible for your  surgeon to perform complex procedures through a few tiny openings.  

Surgical procedures that will be performed with the da Vinci® Surgical System include:

Hernia repairs

Gallbladder surgery

Gynecological surgery: hysterectomies, ovarian 

surgeries and uterine surgeries

Thoracic surgery

Urologic surgery

Bariatric surgery

Colorectal surgery

General surgery