Local Surgeon Pioneers New Procedure, First in United States

RIVERHEAD, NY — A popular surgeon has once again made history at Peconic Bay Medical Center.

Peconic Bay Medical Center was the scene recently of the first percutaneous procedure on an umbilical hernia in the United States by Agostino Cervone, President of Medical Staff and Director of General Robotic Surgery.

Dr. Agostino Cervone performed the first umbilical hernia repair using percutaneous laparoscopic instrumentation in the United States, a release said.

The procedure provides a less invasive approach to minimally invasive surgery with microscopic incisions and normal size instrument tool tips while maintaining his standard laparoscopic technique.

The Percuvance System, created by Teleflex Incorporated is a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, the release said.

Teleflex has advanced minimally invasive surgeries with their Percuvance product, with the name coming from the words "percutaneous", meaning to pass through the skin, and advance. This new product focuses around the concept of performing surgery without inserting a trocar, leaving the patient with less trauma and an almost unnoticeable scar at the incision point.

Percuvance allows the surgeon to use an interchangeable tip on sub 3mm shaft. This unique instrumentation has allowed the patient quicker recovery and a tiny incision upon healing.

Patient Janet Bartra commented on Dr. Cervone's procedure: “I’m only a week post op and feel great. I even exercised two days after being discharged and don’t have any pain.”

She added, “The incision point is only about the tip of a pencil. In additional to having a successful surgery, Dr. Cervone has the best bedside manner and that’s really important.”

The surgeon has the ability to grasp, cut or retract tissue as if they were using a traditional laparoscopic instrument, while creating microscopic incisions at point of entry, the release explained.

Though the Percuvance technique is the next level of minimally invasive surgery, it involves no additional training for the surgeon.

“Using Percuvance allowed me to operate with no additional training yet provided less trauma and a faster recovery time for my patient,” Dr. Cervone said. “I would use Percuvance again as it was a smooth transition for me and the patient benefitted from the procedure, as well."