surgery. "It affords
us the opportunity
to make minimally
invasive surgery
even more minimal-
ly invasive," he says.
Fast forward
Sharona Ross, MD,
FACS, an assistant
professor of surgery
at the University of
South Florida College of Medicine and director of endoscopic surgery
at Florida Hospital Tampa, is a big fan of the da Vinci robot, which has
monopolized the surgical robotic market for more than a decade. After
using the da Vinci for big, complex procedures like pancreaticoduo-
denectomies (Whipples), distal pancreatectomies and esophagec-
tomies, Dr. Ross set her sights on less complicated procedures normal-
ly handled on an outpatient basis.
"I have 2 fellows who needed to get accustomed to using the robot,
so inguinal hernia repairs seemed like a natural place for them to get
that time in," says Dr. Ross.
Before Florida Hospital Tampa added the da Vinci, Dr. Ross per-
formed the hernia procedures laparoscopically using mesh and
tacks, which sometimes led to unexpected nerve pain in patients.
With the robot, Dr. Ross can perform procedures in about a quarter
of the time and without tacks.
"I use a pro-grip mash that sticks, and my patients never have any
nerve pain," she says. "It's so easy, I feel like my kids can do this oper-
ation."
3 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • A P R I L 2 0 1 9
• SURGEON CHAMPION Sharona Ross, MD, FACS (right), touts the benefits of robotic-
assisted hernia surgery.
Florida
Hospital
Tampa
