June 9, 2021 3:40 a.m.

CHI Mercy Medical Center has recently upgraded the robotic technology it has been offering since 2018, increasing the benefits and expanding the number of procedures that can be performed.

Kathleen Nickel of Mercy said in addition, a growing number of Mercy surgeons are being trained on the technology, extending its benefits to significantly more patients.

Nickel said among its many benefits, robotic technology enhances surgeon’s ability to see inside the body and provides better range of motion than the human hand. She said it also speeds patient recovery by replacing the large surgical incision required with traditional open surgery, with a few small ones.

Surgeon Dr. Mark Donovan compares robotic procedures to laparoscopic surgeries, in which the surgeon manipulates tools inserted into small incisions, but said there are important differences. Dr. Donovan said, “Performing a lap surgery is like working with chopsticks. We have to use straight rigid instruments we can’t bend”. He said that the robot’s “hands” have six degrees of movement so they bend and rotate far greater than the surgeon’s hands.

Nickel said in addition, the robotic arm provides surgeons with high-definition, three-dimensional vision, which allows them to see a degree of depth not previously available.

At Mercy, the robot is now assisting physicians in a number of procedures including:

*Gall bladder removal

*Prostate removal

*Kidney extractions and reconstructions

*Hysterectomies

*Hernia repair

Go to www.chimercyhealth.org for more information about Mercy Medical Center.