Robot slices surgery recovery time

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Imagine getting a major surgical procedure done with a recovery time that isn't weeks, but days.

Seton Medical Center Williamson recently purchased a $2 million surgery device all in an effort to make patient recovery easier.

With this new da Vinci robotic system, the surgeon sits off to the side looking through a camera at a 3D image and controls the arms of the robot with his hands.

"So we pass the suture through both grapes," said Dr. Tomas Antonini as he demonstrates how the robotic arms work.

Urogynecologist Antonini demonstrates how two grapes can easily be sewn together with the device. The overall purpose of the machine is to make smaller incisions in the patient.

"It allows us to transform a very invasive surgery into what we call a minimal invasive procedure," said Antonini.

Procedures such as pelvic reconstruction, hysterectomies and prostatectomies are just a few that can be done.

For those going under the knife, the recovery time is cut way down.

"They have much less pain postoperatively, they tend to lose less blood during the surgery and their stay in the hospital is significantly shortened," said Antonini.

In the past, a hospital stay of three nights was required, but it's now down to one night. And recovery has been shortened from 4-to-6 weeks to just a few days, making life easier for the patient.

Surgeons said the robot doesn't necessarily make the surgery easier, but it makes recovery for the patient much better.