Yale New Haven Hospital’s Shoreline Medical Center performs CT’s first outpatient ambulatory center robotic hernia repair using the latest technology

New Haven, CT (July 2, 2020) – Doctors at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Shoreline Medical Center in Guilford have performed the state’s first robotic hernia repair using the latest technology in an outpatient ambulatory setting. The successful procedure was performed using the DaVinci Xi in just under two hours on June 26.

“The DaVinci Xi robot at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Shoreline Medical Center is the very latest and best-available technology. It has opened new doors and given our Digestive Health team and the patients we serve new opportunities for advanced hernia repair,” said Andrew Duffy, MD, medical director of the Hernia Program, associate surgical chief of Digestive Health for Yale New Haven Health and associate professor of surgery at Yale School of Medicine.

“To actually have this technology here at Shoreline Medical Center in a free-standing ambulatory surgery center allows us to do these types of operations and procedures that we would normally do in a regular hospital setting. Now, this streamlined process is available on an outpatient basis for our patients in their own communities.”

Robotic surgery is a technique for repairing hernias in which the surgeon is seated at a console handling the surgical instruments, usually several feet away from the patient. Advantages of robotic surgery include three-dimensional images of the inside of the abdomen, smaller scars and less pain. The surgeon is in complete control of the robot and as is the case with laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery uses a laparoscope, and is performed in the same manner: small incisions, a tiny camera, inflation of the abdomen, and projecting the inside of the abdomen onto television screens.

One of the biggest differences between laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery is that the use of the robot provides excellent three-dimensional images of the inside of the abdomen (vs. the two-dimensional in laparoscopic surgery). After the procedure is completed, the small incisions in the abdomen are closed with a stitch or two or with surgical tape.

“Dr. Duffy did a great job,” commented patient Greg Onorato, PsyD of Danbury. “I was up walking shortly after the procedure, and any pain I have experienced in the last three days has been quite manageable. Once again, Yale New Haven Health has met my expectations for outstanding medical care.”

“Robotic surgery for hernia repair provides our patients a much faster, greatly improved recovery period,” said Dr. Duffy. “They’re going back to work sooner and back to recreational activities sooner with a lot less pain when compared to open surgery."

“Our Hernia Program is part of our new Digestive Health service line at Yale New Haven Health that launched in October 2019,” explained Joseph Mendes, PA-C, executive director, clinical program development, Digestive Health.

“Yale New Haven Health has a phenomenal team of expert physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, dieticians, and other specialists that manage a range of gastrointestinal conditions, including hernias. We’ve been working with our leadership at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Shoreline Medical Center to bring state-of-the-art hernia surgery to its freestanding ambulatory surgical center. It’s really exciting to see all of this come together, we are looking forward to further expanding our reach with our Digestive Health programs in Connecticut.”