Mesothelioma and lung cancer patients across the country are benefitting from the FDA’s recent approval of the da Vinci SP (Single Port) surgical system for thoracic and chest procedures. One of the most advanced minimally invasive surgical options available, the robotic platform lets thoracic surgeons perform complex tumor removal operations through a single two-to-three-inch incision in the upper abdomen rather than multiple incisions in the chest wall. The result is significantly less pain, faster recovery, and quicker return to normal activities.
Mesothelioma Victims Seek Treatment from Early Adopters of Technology
People diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma face significant challenges and few treatment options. Most are directed toward multi-modality plans that include radiation, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy, and surgery, with the last of these traditionally requiring surgeons to access tumors through the chest wall. Though the surgeries can provide relief from the rare form of cancer’s tumors, they come with complications: The area contains numerous nerves, and operations in this area can cause substantial post-operative pain requiring opioid medications.
The innovative da Vinci SP system addresses these problems for mesothelioma and lung cancer patients. According to Dr. Samuel Kim, director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern Medicine’s Canning Thoracic Institute, the system allows minimally invasive operations to be performed using a single port with a small incision. Patients who’ve undergone this new type of procedure have reported much faster and less painful recoveries, allowing them to return home and return to their normal lives more easily. The approach has the added benefit of minimizing the fall risk that accompanies the use of opioid pain medications.
Mesothelioma Treatment Centers Lead Adoption of New Technology
Studies have shown that mesothelioma patients see the best results when they are treated at academic hospitals that perform the highest number of thoracic surgeries and have invested in innovative technology and surgeons with the skills to use it. Northwestern Medicine in Illinois and Emory Healthcare in Georgia are among the first facilities that have adopted the da Vinci SP system, and physicians there report that their patients are getting significant benefits as a result.
Mesothelioma patients being treated at Emory Healthcare can seek help from Dr. Manu Sancheti, who became the only thoracic surgeon in Georgia trained to perform single-incision robotic procedures using the SP system, while those in Illinois can access the treatment at Northwestern Medicine, which became the first health system in the state to adopt the system for thoracic surgery. As more hospitals acquire the system, patients across the country will see a significant improvement in the minimally invasive care they receive.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related lung cancer, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help you access the resources you need. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
