For years, the Coliseum Robotic Institute at Coliseum Medical Centers has been the leader in robotic surgery using the da Vinci Surgical Robot.  Now, Coliseum has become the first in the area to use the da Vinci XI Surgical Robot.  On October 5, 2015 Dr. Douglas Brewer used this cutting edge technology during a colorectal surgery to treat a patient with diverticulitis.  During the procedure, Dr. Brewer successfully removed a section of the patient’s colon.
 
During robotic surgery, the surgeon guides a robot through a surgical procedure.  The robot doesn’t perform the surgery on its own – rather, the surgeon uses the robot as a surgical tool.  Most robotic procedures use much smaller incisions than the ones made during a traditional procedure.  These smaller incisions have multiple benefits for the patient, such as reduced scarring, less blood loss and shorter recovery time.  
 
The da Vinci XI system allows all of the benefits of the da Vinci robot, but allows the surgeon more options in the operating room.  Many procedures can be done in less time and surgeries can be done in a more efficient manner.
 
During the first surgery performed using the equipment, Dr. Brewer was able to perform maneuvers not allowed on the traditional robot.  He said, “I’ve been doing robotic surgery for 4.5 years.  I’m excited about this new technology that will improve our ability to perform surgeries laparoscopically.