MURRIETA, CA — Loma Linda University Medical Center's hospital in Murrieta announced a robotic-assisted thoracic surgery was performed for the first time in southwest Riverside County at their facility.
On Monday, LLUMC said a surgical team used a robot to make four incisions less than a centimeter in length to remove a benign mass in a patient's chest cavity last month. Historically, the procedure has required an incision of up to 10 inches, as well as spreading and possibly having to break the patient's ribs to treat the affected area.
Thoracic surgery involves the organs of the chest, but extends to the esophagus, trachea, and the chest wall, according to the Mayo Clinic.
LLUMC said the robotic-assisted procedure allows surgeons to operate with "exceptional" precision. The surgeon operates from a console near the patient, controlling robotic arms to perform surgeries such as lobectomies, wedge resections, and thymectomies.
LLUMC said with robotic-assisted thoracic surgery there is less blood loss, fewer infections, minimal scarring, and shorter hospitalization. Patients also recover faster and return to their normal routines within two to three weeks.
More information about LLUMC Murrieta's robot-assisted thoracic surgery can be found on Loma Linda University's website.
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