Lahey Gets $1 Million Grant For Robotic Surgery

From Lahey Health: The Michael T. Strianese Charitable Foundation is giving Lahey Hospital & Medical Center $1 million to advance minimally invasive and robotic surgery for thoracic and esophageal patients with the goal of establishing a Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery Center at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC).

This donation will support LHMC as it continues to grow its robotic program – providing funds to advance research and training opportunities for clinicians and staff, establish innovative learning environments, and acquire additional state-of-the-art technology for a Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery Center. Additionally, this donation will allow LHMC to develop a robotic surgery lab in order to promote innovation in robotic and minimally invasive surgery.

“We are incredibly grateful to Michael and Alyson Strianese for their generous gift,” said Patricia Roberts, MD, chair of the Division of Surgery at LHMC. “As a leader in minimally invasive robotic surgery, we understand the benefits of providing this service to our patients, which allows them to recover faster with less pain. This gift will enable us to continue to grow our robotics program and allow more of our surgical departments to perform minimally invasive robotic procedures.”

The Strianeses, of Manhasset, NY, are making their gift as a challenge to the community to raise more money in order to support and grow Lahey Hospital & Medical Center’s robotic surgery program. Mr. Strianese is a founder of New York-based L3 Technologies, a major aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1997. He recently retired as chairman and chief executive officer.

“My late father-in-law died of esophageal cancer, so this disease is very personal for us,” Michael Strianese told a gathering of Lahey surgeons and donors at the hospital on May 10. “With this gift, we have the opportunity to directly help patients diagnosed with this terrible illness. We are hopeful that the establishment of this Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery Center will allow Lahey to enhance its research and treatment of this disease.”

Minimally invasive procedures use small incisions and tiny cameras and instruments to treat many conditions that, in the past, could only be addressed with surgery performed using large incisions. Since 2006, LHMC has performed more than 4,800 robotic surgeries using a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach to disease management. The Thoracic Surgery Department, which treats patients with conditions affecting their lungs, trachea, esophagus, chest wall and the area between their lungs, provides highly advanced, personalized care for patients.

About Lahey Health

Lahey Health is an integrated health care system committed to providing the full continuum of health care services close to where patients live and work. The system is comprised of nationally recognized, award-winning hospitals, physicians, behavioral health services###a name="_SG_741b36d7656e464a94ee4d4957ddfb6d">, and post-acute programs including home health services, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and senior care resources. Lahey Health includes nearly 1,400 locally based physicians throughout northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Lahey Health includes

Caption: Michael and Alyson Strianese donated $1 million to advance minimally invasive and robotic surgery for thoracic and esophageal patients with the goal of establishing a Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery Center at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.

Photo courtesy of Lahey Health