In The News

West Chester Hospital first for robotic gastric band surgery

By Chelsey Levingston, Staff Writer

11:46 AM Friday, February 17, 2012

WEST CHESTER TWP. — The first robot-assisted gastric band placement procedure in Ohio was performed at West Chester Hospital in December, according to the hospital and the regional robot sales representative.

Dr. Brad Watkins has done six total of these robot-assisted surgeries since Dec. 27, said hospital spokeswoman Carol O’Hare. The hospital is looking for more ways to use robotic-assisted surgery, O’Hare said.

Robotic surgeries allow surgeons to make smaller incisions and give patients a quicker recovery. Surgeons benefit from better visual clarity, depth perception and precision of motion, she said.

“Currently, we continue to look to expand our utilization of the robotic surgical system for additional gynecologic and urologic procedures, as well as for general surgery procedures such as gallbladder removal,” O’Hare said.

A gastric band procedure is a type of weight loss surgery. West Chester Hospital started using a da Vinci Surgical System May 2011, according to the hospital.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or clevingston@coxohio.com