Minimally invasive surgery

Weight loss surgeries involve dramatic impacts to your life, and, in the past, have also typically involved serious surgical trauma to your body. Now, we are able to offer you newer, better ways to overcome morbid obesity, using all the benefits of robot-assisted surgery. This includes gastroplasty, gastric sleeve, laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy and gastric banding surgeries.

As part of our complete cardiovascular services, we are proud to offer robot-assisted heart and vascular surgeries. These replace older, often painful and risky procedures and surgical interventions. Some of the innovative surgeries we offer include heart catheters, guidewires, balloons and stents.

We are highly experienced in treating both common and rare gastroenterology issues using GI surgeries that include:

• Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), which is often available as single-site surgery, involving only one incision
• Colorectal surgery, including colon and small bowel resections
• Esophagogastrectomy
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) surgery, including Toupet (partial) fundoplication
• Heartburn and acid reflux surgery, including transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication
• Heller myotomy
• Hemorrhoid surgery
• Hernia repair, including ventral, inguinal, paraesophageal and hiatal hernias
• Pyloroplasty
• Sigmoidectomy
• Transanal endoscopic micro (TEM) surgery

As part of our complete gynecology services, we are proud to offer a wide range of robot-assisted options. These gynecologic surgeries replace older, often painful procedures.

Some of the surgeries we offer robotically include:

• Burch colposuspension
• Dermoid cyst removal
• Endometrial ablation
• Hysterectomy (partial or total)
• Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH)
• Myomectomy
• Oophorocystectomy
• Oophorectomy
• Ovarian transposition
• Pelvic and vaginal prolapse surgery, including sacrocolpopexy
• Salpingectomy
• Salpingo-oophorectomy
• Tubal ligation
• Tubal reanastomosis
• Tuboplasty
• Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTEs)
• Vaginal prolapse repair

Our orthopedic services are robust and include robot-assisted surgery options combined with our rehabilitative programs to help you stay as active in your life as possible. Some of the robotic bone and joint procedures we offer include:

• Hip replacement surgery
• Knee replacement surgery
• Shoulder replacement surgery
• Spine and back surgeries

Our urology care includes advanced robot-assisted surgeries for problems of the urinary tract system and male reproductive organs. Some of the surgeries we offer include:

• Adrenalectomy
• Cystocele repair
• Excision of renal cyst
• Lymphadenectomy
• Nephrectomy
• Nephropexy
• Pelvic lymphadenectomy
• Prostatectomy
• Pyeloplasty
• Rectocele repair
• Renal cyst decortication
• Ureteral reimplantation
• Ureterectomy (full or partial)
• Ureterolithotomy
• Urethroplasty
• Varicocele treatment
• Vasovasostomy
• Vesicoureteral reflux treatment

Some of the other common robot-assisted surgeries we perform include:

• Appendectomy
• Arteriovenous fistula surgery
• Lysis of adhesions
• Kidney surgery, including nephrectomies, ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction surgery and some kidney transplant surgeries
• Thoracic surgery
• Wound care procedures
• Endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) for hyperhidrosis

One of the things people worry about with robot-assisted surgery is who is in control. The answer is that your surgeon is always 100 percent in control of the surgical tools and process. In other words, there are no literal "robots" involved, just surgeon-controlled robotic equipment.

Most of the time, your surgeon will sit at a console nearby and drive the procedure from start to finish. That will not change even though the specific equipment used in your surgery may vary depending on the procedure you're having.

The robotic surgery process is similar to the process of a traditional surgery. For example, you will most likely be under anesthesia throughout the operation and can expect to be in a recovery room afterward. However, one of the main differences between traditional and robotic surgery is that robotic surgery requires very small incisions, which provides multiple benefits for you.

Robotic surgical systems let us have greater accuracy and control during your surgery. They enable us to work more carefully and closely in delicate, complex areas of your body, such as your blood vessels and internal organs.

These technologies enable us to customize an approach to your surgery that matches your needs. It allows us to offer benefits that may include:

• Faster healing and recovery time (and therefore faster return to daily activities)
• Less blood loss and trauma to the body
• Minimal scarring thanks to smaller incisions
• Reduced postoperative pain (and therefore less need for narcotic pain medicine)
• Shorter hospital stay

You'll find access to a variety of specialists when you work with HCA Florida's surgery teams. They work closely together, across hospitals and cities, to ensure you get the best care we can provide.

Typically, you will work with one or more of our experienced surgeons as well as a wide range of other caring staff members. Many of them have worked in these departments for years and know everything about the ins and outs of the surgical process. They will guide you and your family throughout it all.

If you need surgery, we encourage you to talk to our doctor about your minimally invasive procedures. They can help you find out if you are able to take advantage of these valuable, innovative options.