HealthLinks Upstate Jan-April 2023

www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com | 21 even suture using the robotic arm. However, Dr. Cook points out, “Suitable cases must be chosen wisely. There are still some limitations. Not everyone is an automatic candidate for robotic surgery.” Summerville Medical Center began its robotic surgeries in late 2012, with Dr. Cook helping to lead the way. “It’s truly remarkable what our surgeons and surgical staff have accomplished in the past 10 years since our first minimally invasive robotic surgery,” Jeff Taylor, CEO of Summerville Medical Center, reported. “Our team is dedicated to ensuring that Lowcountry families have easy access to high-quality care, and providing options like robotic surgery ensures they recover and return home to their families quickly.” For Dr. Cook, it’s much more personal: “My goal every day is to change the lives of my patients. My passion is caring for women across generations for every decade and milestone in their lives,” she explained. “I want to help them get back to their favorite hobbies and to enjoying their active lives. It is an honor to care for the women in our community.” THE ROOTS OF ROBOTIC SURGERY The origins of robotic surgery can be traced back about 50 years to the military. In an effort to decrease forward battlefield casualties, the Department of Defense began searching for ways to help field medics stabilize wounded soldiers until they could be evacuated to more thorough medical care. In the 1960s, the idea of telepresence surgery that combined virtual reality and robotic technology was considered to be a possibility. With the bedside assistance of a medic and a “robotic scrub nurse,” the surgeon might be able to operate successfully from a remote location behind the battle lines. On Sept. 7, 2001, the first surgical robot was used to complete a trans-Atlantic surgery between New York City and Strasbourg, France. A 68-year-old woman received a successful, minimally invasive cholecystectomy. However, with the world reeling from the 9/11 attacks, the amazing operation received less attention than it might have otherwise. In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration gave approval for robotic surgery for gynecological purposes. Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6261744/

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