Minimally Invasive Robotic Esophagectomies Help Patients Recover Faster

Leading-Edge Care for Esophageal Cancer

Minimally invasive robotic esophagectomies help patients recover faster

Aaron Blackham, MD
Surgical Oncology
Watch a video to learn more about him.
 

Treating esophageal cancer isn’t easy. Most patients require complex surgery called an esophagectomy to remove some or all of the food pipe running from the mouth to the stomach.

To help reduce pain and boost patient recovery time, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) was the first in the region to offer minimally invasive robotic esophagectomies using the da Vinci Si® HD Surgical System. This technology lets surgeons perform the complicated procedure with unmatched precision using a robot arm and camera inserted through tiny incisions. Best of all, patients don’t have to travel far for state-of-the-art care.

“Traditional esophagectomies involve a large incision in the abdomen and another one on the right side of the chest,” says LVHN surgical oncologist Aaron Blackham, MD, who recently joined colleague Jeffrey Brodsky, MD, on the team at LVPG Surgical Oncology–1240 Cedar Crest.

“Robotic esophagectomies only require a few small incisions in the abdomen and chest. There’s less pain and patients get back to normal activities more quickly.”

Blackham believes another key to quicker patient recovery is LVHN’s multidisciplinary approach. “We don’t just offer surgery,” he says. “There’s also a multispecialty team of oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurse navigators, physician assistants and other support staff to offer a range of services and well-rounded care.”

Robotic surgery program continues to expand

LVHN’s growing robotic surgery team now features over 30 surgeons skilled in using the da Vinci system’s high-definition 3D imaging and a robotic arm for precise control.

As one of the nation’s largest teams, LVHN surgeons have performed over 7,000 minimally invasive procedures since 2007, treating everything from cervical cancer, uterine fibroids and hysterectomies to pelvic organ prolapse and prostate cancer.

“The robotics program allows patients to receive innovative care closer to home,” Blackham says. “There’s less blood loss with this approach, less pain after surgery and lower risk for infection so patients can return home faster.”

–Sidney Stevens