UPMC East to add robotic surgical system in Monroeville

UPMC East will join more than 20 other hospitals throughout the health system in adding robotic-assisted surgery as an option for patients.

The da Vinci Surgical System allows surgeons to make small incisions and perform surgery using tiny robotic surgical instruments and cameras. At UPMC East, a dual-console system will allow a second surgeon to assist.

“Expanding our robust surgical services to robotic surgery is a huge win for our program,” said Dr. Athan Georgiades, surgery department chair at UPMC East. “This technology is a major benefit for our patients but will also expand career development opportunities for our talented surgeons and staff.”

Health systems across western Pennsylvania have steadily increased the amount of robotic-assisted surgeries they perform.

At Excela, Dr. Michael Szwerc has performed roughly 1,500 surgeries using the da Vinci Surgical System since 2009, part of nearly 6,800 such surgeries the health system has undertaken.

“It’s a phenomenal program and it’s growing every year,” Szwerc said. “We have 15 credentialed robotic surgeons. In Pennsylvania there are more than 200 robotic surgical systems currently, and last year they were part of 55,000 procedures.”

The primary advantage of the da Vinci system, doctors said, is that surgery is minimally invasive.

“You look at something like esophageal cancer surgery, which is a big-time procedure that takes a lot of hours,” Szwerc said. “Traditionally those patients could spend one to two weeks in the hospital. Using a robot now, we had a patient a month ago who we were comfortable sending home in two days. That’s really early, but he was ready.”

Szwerc said esophageal cancer surgery patients at Excela spend an average of four to five days in the hospital.

“And with cancer, a lot of times patients are receiving other treatment, like chemotherapy,” he said, “so keeping the surgical aspect as minimally invasive as possible gives them a path to an ever better outcome.”

Through regular demonstrations at places like Westmoreland Mall, Excela officials are not just familiarizing the public with how the system functions, but also looking to spark interest in the next generation of surgeons.

UPMC officials say they among the world’s largest and most comprehensive health systems for robotic surgery, with their doctors having performed more than 70,000 procedures over the years.

The da Vinci system at UPMC East will be used for general surgery along with urology, gynecology, thoracic and colorectal procedures.

“This enhancement in our surgical program is a great example of the investments we have made at UPMC East to ensure that our patients have access to the highest quality of care without the need to travel downtown,” Mark O’Hern, president of UPMC East and UPMC McKeesport, said.

Szwerc said he also likes seeing the expansion of the robotic-assisted surgery to more rural communities.

“I think patients should look for physicians in all areas who are comfortable with this technology,” he said. “And it’s exciting that we’re bringing it to people closer to their homes.”