Kamel Brakta, MD, surgeon and founder of WK Robotic & Laparoscopic Surgery, has performed his 1000th da Vinci ® robotic surgery. Dr. Brakta, who offers general and bariatric robotic-assisted procedures, has used the da Vinci technology for seven years at Willis-Knighton, following training with this advanced technology during his residency.
“The da Vinci robot is an amazing surgical tool,” Dr. Brakta says. “It allows us to dramatically reduce the time a patient stays in the hospital.
Dr. Brakta gave the example of a colon resection surgery. “Where once a patient having a colon resection would have a stay of a week or more and experience significant discomfort, the patient now has a typical stay of two to three days and greatly reduced pain.”
Patients can be up and walking the day of surgery, Dr. Brakta says. Hernia and gallbladder patients generally go home the same day.
The da Vinci Surgical system gives surgeons 3D vision, which enables them to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures with more precision, control and dexterity than traditional surgery allows. In addition to shorter stays, other benefits to patients include less pain, smaller incisions, reduced risk of infection and a quicker return to a normal activity.
Dr. Brakta notes many surgeries once performed open or laparoscopically in the past may now be performed with the assistance of the da Vinci robot, including a wide range of hernia repairs, colon and bowel resections, colectomies, foregut and bariatric surgeries, among others.
WK Robotic & Laparoscopic Surgery is located at Willis-Knighton Medical Center’s Medical Arts Building, 2551 Greenwood Road, Suite 311. A second location has opened at WK Pierremont Health Center, 8001 Youree Drive, Suite 500.