Gardnerville hospital introduces da Vinci robot-assisted surgery

As part of its ongoing site improvements and expansion, Carson Valley Medical Center’s surgical services, along with Dr. Gary Willen, MD, MBA, of Tahoe Women’s Care, successfully performed the center’s first da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery.

The da Vinci surgical system further advances the technology used in minimally invasive surgery. By enabling efficient access throughout the abdomen or chest, the surgeon is 100 percent in control of the robotic-assisted da Vinci System, which translates their hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. Robotic-assisted surgery is used in specialty areas including gynecology, urology, thoracic and general surgery.

“Da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery is the accepted standard of care for many specialties in more populated areas,” said Randall McElreath RN, Ph.D., director of perioperative services for CVMC. “Now our Carson Valley patients have more opportunities to choose CVMC for their surgery.”

McElreath said Willen has performed hundreds, if not thousands, of da Vinci-assisted surgeries, and was the first to operate with CVMC’s newly installed system, and more surgeons in the region have scheduled surgical appointments with da Vinci assistance.

“Surgeons are community providers and may operate in multiple clinical settings,” he said. “Here at CVMC, we have a fantastic surgical team, specifically trained to perform these cases. We couldn’t do it without their dedication and expertise.”

For more information on CVMC surgical services, visit cvmchospital.org/services/surgical-services.