Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
Surgery has come a long way over the centuries, to the point that some procedures barely leave a mark. This week on Health Watch, we’ll talk about some recent advances in surgical techniques and treatment after surgery.
In some cases, the best hands for performing surgery aren’t human. Surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center have pioneered the use of robotic arms controlled by a surgeon for laparoscopic procedures. Dr. Edward Livingston, chairman of gastrointestinal surgery at UT Southwestern, says the robot offers access to some of the more inaccessible areas in the body, such as the abdominal area. The robot assisted surgery has been used for gastric bypass procedures and colon resections for cases of colon cancer. The robotic surgeon provides better camera views and more precise surgical manipulation than conventional surgical techniques.
Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/patientcare/medicalservices/urology/surgery.html to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in robotic and minimally invasive surgery.
###
January 2008
Health Watch is heard Monday through Friday nationwide on ABC Satellite Radio. Call your local radio station and ask if they carry the program.
