Jackson Hospital | Partners | Summer 2018

Robotic surgery was once an idea of the future; a concept that many couldn’t believe was even possible, much less a routine occurrence! Fast-forward to 2018, and Jackson Hospital is leading the way with advanced robotic surgery for procedures such as hernia repair, colon resection, prosta- tectomy and hysterectomy. Robotic surgery is headed by Chief of Robotics Brian Richardson, MD. Our team of surgeons includes some of the best in the area, and they are working to ensure the River Region is educated on the benefits of robotic surgery and how it can drastically improve the surgery outcome for pa- tients. Brian Gary, MD, and Manuel Caceres, MD, two gen- eral surgeons at Jackson Hospital who are trained in robotic surgery, are both passionate about what the future holds for further advancement in the field of robotic surgery and how it can change the lives of people in our community. Life changing achievements Dr. Caceres said he has always had an interest in surgery be- cause his dad was a surgeon, but the idea of robotic surgery was still in its early stages and certainly not widely used yet. “When I was a medical student, I never imagined how advanced the technology would become,” he said. “Dur- ing my residency, urologists and OB/GYN doctors were just beginning to use robotics, but it wasn’t until 2007 at a medical conference in Chicago that I became very inter- ested in robotic surgery and its many advantages.” Dr. Caceres stated that in addition to the numerous advantages of robotic surgery, the question most people want to know the answer to is “Will robotic surgery be less painful for me?” The answer is usually yes. Traditional sur- gery requires large incisions, but robotic surgery requires only a few small incisions. Smaller incisions result in much less pain. The abdominal area, where many hernias occur, can be a sensitive area, so it can be difficult to recover from hernia surgery. By transforming the traditional method of open surgery to repair hernias into a much simpler proce- dure, robotic surgery has helped patients get back on their feet and back to their normal lives more quickly. Dr. Gary has known he wanted to be a surgeon since a very young age. “When I was 6, my brother was involved in a car wreck that left him paraplegic, and I’ve known ever since that I wanted to be able to help people like my brother,” he said. “I had the ability to shadow a surgeon, and that’s where my passion for surgery began.” Dr. Gary noted that after extensive training in robotic surgery, he felt he had to bring this technology back to the River Region. “We always continue to push the envelope and discover better ways to perform surgery,” he said. “I came back home to help take care of the River Region, and robotic surgery can certainly help do that.” Seeing it for themselves Jackson Hospital hosted a free hernia seminar and screening to inform the public about the da Vinci Si robot used at the hospital and how it can help those with a hernia get on the road to recovery much quicker. The event was the first of its kind in the River Region, and dozens of people came to take advantage of this service. Not only did the doctors diagnose several hernias, but they were able to show participants the robotic technology itself. Attendees were able to test-drive the robot, ask questions and gain a better understanding of just how important robotics is in modern medicine. “Robotic surgery is all about the patient and their surgery,” Dr. Caceres said. “With robotics, we are able to provide a safer operation and less recovery time afterward.” Jackson Hospital is at the forefront of modern medicine with robotic surgery The BrewTech Robotics team joined us to learn more about the surgical robot. Brian Gary, MD, was on hand to answer their questions. jackson.org 9