Our skilled physicians will be able to do more than they were able to before, in a way that will be safer, less invasive and more efficient than before.
Cheshire President and CEO Joseph L. Perras, MDCheshire Medical Center, a Dartmouth Health member, has acquired its first ever robotic surgical platform, which will be used in hundreds of minimally invasive surgeries each year. The da Vinci Xi robotic surgical platform by Intuitive can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures. During its initial rollout, which began recently, Cheshire surgeons operating the system will be using it to perform general, bariatric and gynecological procedures, including gallbladder removal, hysterectomy and sleeve gastrectomy.
“Cheshire is continuing to grow its surgical teams and is now proud to be able to offer the latest in modern surgery technology with this robotic system,” said Cheshire President and CEO Joseph L. Perras, MD. “Our skilled physicians will be able to do more than they were able to before, in a way that will be safer, less invasive and more efficient than before. And our patients will notice the results, with increased quality of life and faster hospital discharges.”
The da Vinci Xi system provides the precision and visibility needed to take on more complex procedures via remotely operated surgical tools that are inserted through small incisions in the patient. Benefits of robotic surgery include shorter post-surgery hospital stays, faster recovery times, lower probability of complications and less need for opioid painkillers.
“This robotic surgical technology outpaces open and laparoscopic surgical approaches with its efficient and minimally invasive capabilities,” said Cheshire Chair of Surgery J. Paul Sanders, MD. “Before acquiring this device, Cheshire had to send patients to other facilities to perform certain complex or revisional hernia repairs, and other rectal, prostate and kidney procedures. Now we can do all those and more right here near the patient’s home and family.”
First to be trained on the new system are Sanders, a general and bariatric surgeon, OB/GYN Kimberly M. DeVore, DO, urologist Roland N. Chen, MD, and general surgeons H.E. Guy Burman, MD, and Olivier P. Van Houtte, MD. Eventually, all of Cheshire’s general surgeons, urologists and gynecologists will be using the robotic surgery device. For the first few months, the system will be used an estimated six to eight times per week.
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH has employed the use of da Vinci Xi robotic surgical systems since their launch in 2014.
About Cheshire Medical Center
Cheshire Medical Center (Cheshire) is a Dartmouth Health member providing the communities in the Greater Monadnock Region a continuum of care spanning primary care and specialty medicine, to surgical services and acute inpatient care. For more than 130 years, Cheshire has been a key contributor to the health and vitality of the Monadnock Region. As a not-for-profit community medical center, Cheshire is deeply committed to delivering excellent care in a safe and welcoming environment. Cheshire is dedicated to being a great neighbor and serves as an integral community resource. Cheshire is the area's largest healthcare provider and leading employer. Along with the services delivered on their Keene campus and satellite locations, the Medical Center partners with local organizations to provide vital services and programs throughout the region. To learn more, call 603-354-5400 or visit the Cheshire Medical Center website.
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire's only academic health system and the state's largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, one of only 56 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the state’s only children’s hospital, and multiple clinic locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene and New London, NH, and Bennington and Windsor, VT; Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT. Dartmouth Health and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, personal care.