Nov 21 2013
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Overlake colorectal surgeons demonstrated the new EndoWrist Robotic Stapler, a surgical device used to repair a variety of conditions affecting the colon.
Overlake Medical Center colorectal surgeon Mitra Ehsan, M.D. explains how the EndoWrist Robotic Stapler is used during a demonstration of the technology Nov. 20 at the Bellevue, Wash. hospital. Both Dr. Ehsan and Overlake colorectal surgeon Martin Herman, M.D. are fellowship trained in robotic colorectal surgery. (Photo: Business Wire)
Overlake’s fellowship-trained, colorectal surgeons, Martin Herman, MD, and Mitra Ehsan, MD, showed members of the media how the stapler is used and why it can make a significant difference in the lives of patients.
Overlake is the first hospital in the Northwest (WA, OR, ID, MT, AK) to add this new robotic tool to assist surgeons doing colorectal procedures in the delicate and confined spaces of the pelvis. Dr. Herman was the first surgeon in Washington State to use the EndoWrist Stapler in a colorectal surgery.
Colorectal surgeons using the EndoWrist stapler and the da Vinci robotic system can operate with enhanced vision and greater precision, dexterity and control. Surgeons use a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and special wristed instruments that bend and rotate with maneuverability far greater than the human wrist.
At Overlake, the EndoWrist Stapler is used in procedures such as robotic colectomy and rectopexy, and will help deliver the following benefits to patients: less blood loss, shorter hospital stay and faster recovery.
“Our top priority at Overlake Medical Center is to provide all our patients with exceptional medical care,” said Craig Hendrickson, CEO of Overlake Medical Center. “This new surgical technology is one way we can make sure our patients receive the best care possible.”
In demonstrating the stapler, Overlake is helping bring surgery treatments for sensitive conditions, some of which are not readily talked about, to the forefront. Only a small percentage of surgeons are trained in the latest colorectal robotic techniques.
About Overlake Medical Center
Overlake Medical Center is a nonprofit, non-tax-supported, regional medical center with a network of medical clinics throughout the Eastside. The hospital is licensed for 349 beds and offers a comprehensive range of services including cardiac care, cancer care, general and specialty surgery, women’s programs, senior care, psychiatric services and it was the first Level III trauma service on the Eastside.