Traditional vs. Robotic Small Bowel Resection
The surgeons at Moffitt Cancer Center can perform a small bowel resection to treat patients with small intestine cancer. During this procedure, a surgeon removes part or all of the small intestine, as well as any surrounding organs or tissues where the cancer has spread. When a portion of the small intestine remains after the surgery, the surgeon may perform an anastomosis to connect the remaining ends of the small intestine together.
At Moffitt, our surgeons are highly trained and skilled at operating the da Vinci® Surgical System, the latest in surgical and robotics technology. This system allows our surgeons to take a minimally invasive approach to performing small bowel resections in cases where the patient is a good candidate. The da Vinci Surgical System mimics the surgeon’s hand movements, allowing for small, precise movements of surgical instruments inside the patient’s body. Since robotic small bowel resections are performed through small incisions, patients who undergo this type of surgery may benefit from:
- Shorter recovery times
- Less blood loss during surgery
- Decreased pain
- Improved pain management
- Minimal scarring
Regardless of whether a traditional or robotic small bowel resection is best for a patient’s treatment, at Moffitt he or she will benefit from the expertise of a multispecialty team that is comprised of medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, endoscopy specialists, radiologists and other specialists who all focus exclusively on gastrointestinal malignancies. And, because Moffitt is a high-volume cancer center, the experts within our Gastrointestinal Oncology Program have a unique level of experience treating even the most complex forms of gastrointestinal cancer.
If you have been diagnosed with small intestine cancer and would like to learn more about traditional or robotic small bowel resection, or any of the other therapies used to treat this malignancy at Moffitt, call 1-888-663-3488 or fill out a new patient registration form online. We welcome patients with or without referrals.