ALTOONA – When tests determined 29-year-old Megan McCahan’s abdominal pain stemmed from a diseased gall bladder, she researched the area surgeons to see which were qualified to perform laparoscopic surgery to avoid a large, unsightly incision.
As she talked to friends, the name Matthew Newlin, M.D., of Allegheny Regional Surgical Associates, came up. At her appointment, Newlin told her of a new procedure for gall bladder removal that he was ready to perform on the right patient – and she fit. Instead of a large abdominal incision, the laparoscopic technique using the da Vinci(r) Si(tm) system requires just four small incisions.
The da Vinci Si system provides the surgeon with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control compared to unassisted laparoscopic surgery. Robotic-assisted surgery expands the availability of a minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approach for many complex surgical procedures, Newlin said. And like MIS, it may lessen a patient’s time under anesthesia and reduce blood loss. Most of all, patients greatly appreciate smaller incisions and shorter recovery times after surgery.
“Megan’s surgery went very smoothly. I was very pleased with the technology, with the operative experience in the OR, and especially with Megan’s excellent results,” Newlin said.
“I definitely had a great recovery,” Megan said. “I was driven to Barnes and Noble and walked from the parking lot into the store just a few hours after surgery. I had very little pain, and when I did, the only pain reliever I took the first two days was a couple of extra-strength acetaminophen. And, best of all, the stomach pain is gone. I returned to eating a normal diet in four days. I definitely recommend Newlin and robotic-assisted surgery.”