Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital General Surgeon Jose Ortega, MD, has performed the first removal of a gallbladder in the Lake Houston region through a single-site small incision in the bellybutton using the da Vinci Si Surgical System.
"This is quite an advancement over traditional surgery," said Dr. Ortega. "I was able to remove the patient's gallbladder very safely through one tiny incision."
Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital was the first Lake Houston-area hospital to bring the da Vinci Si robot to the market. The robot comprises the latest technology including the "single-site" system which allows a single incision rather than the three to five, required by a traditional robot.
Dr. Ortega underwent specialized training and certification in order to operate the single-site system.
"Memorial Hermann Northeast is proud to have Dr. Ortega perform the first 'single-site' surgery," said Heath Rushing, chief operating officer at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital. "This technology aims to make patients healthier on the inside with little or no scarring and offers them the chance for a faster recovery."
Using the da Vinci robot, Dr. Ortega performed the procedure on the navel where it leaves virtually no scar. He required only one incision about an inch long compared with the four incisions for a traditional procedure.
"There is a trend among patients who want less invasive techniques," said Dr. Ortega. "The da Vinci robot is the breakthrough we were looking for to support our patients."
Dr. Ortega, board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery, has been a member of the Northeast campus medical staff since 1995. He is one of two surgeons on staff at Memorial Hermann Northeast who performed the first robotic-assisted surgical procedures in the Lake Houston area.
Surgeons at Memorial Hermann Northeast are now performing da Vinci robot-assisted procedures in gynecology, urology and general surgery.