Robotic Surgery Specialist

What is robotic surgery?

Robotic surgery enables skilled surgeons like Dr. Zehnpfennig at Montana Colon to perform intricate procedures with the utmost precision, beyond the capabilities of the human hand. Dr. Zehnpfennig uses the state-of-the-art da Vinci Xi robotic surgery system.

This system consists of a robotic unit that reproduces the movements of Dr. Zehnpfennig's hands. He controls the unit from a surgical console where he can view a highly magnified image of the inside of your body in 3D.

While the robot arm is carrying out your surgery, it's under Dr. Zehnpfennig's control at all times. It's more a highly sophisticated instrument than a robot that thinks for itself, offering benefits like enhanced dexterity, greater precision, and increased maneuverability during your operation.

Dr. Zehnpfennig is the most experienced robotic colorectal surgeon in Montana. He performed 95% of his fellowship training cases using the da Vinci Xi platform and has since completed hundreds of successful robotic surgeries.

What are the advantages of robotic surgery?

The potential benefits to patients of having robotic surgery include:

• Far less postoperative pain
• Lower risk of infection
• Shorter hospital stay
• Less blood loss
• Faster recovery
• Less scarring

Due to the accuracy of robotic surgery and the minimal tissue damage it causes, patients often enjoy better outcomes from their operations.

How is robotic surgery used in colorectal procedures?

Traditionally, colorectal procedures involve open surgery, which leaves large and unsightly scars and carries a high risk of infection. Open surgery is also a common cause of incisional hernias, so using a minimally invasive approach has significant benefits.

Over the last 10 years, laparoscopic surgery has overtaken open surgery, but it's not without its problems. Laparoscopic surgeons can accomplish the dissection via small incisions or ports, but they must still make at least one large incision to extract the colon from your abdomen. They need to do this to perform the most critical parts of the surgery by hand.

Using robotics in colorectal surgery means that all the work takes place inside your abdomen with a higher degree of dexterity than is possible with open or conventional laparoscopic surgery. Robotic surgery enables Dr. Zehnpfennig to retrieve large specimens through natural orifices like the anus or vagina which is less painful than making a large incision on the abdomen.  If natural-orifice surgery is not possible, robotic surgery still allows Dr. Zehnpfennig to choose the optimal site on your abdomen for specimen extraction in an area where you'll experience minimal pain, and there's a reduced risk of postoperative hernias.

Dr. Zehnpfennig is the most experienced robotic colorectal surgeon in Montana (according to Intuitive Surgical, the company which makes the robotic platform that Dr. Zehnpfennig uses and tracks the case types performed by every surgeon who uses their platform).  He is also one of the only surgeons confident enough in his experience to share his case numbers.  You can find his publicly-pubished numbers at the Intuitive provider locator site.

In the 21st century, data is key.  It's no longer acceptable for surgeons to be oblivious or nebulous about their past performance.  Dr. Zehnpfennig actively tracks his outcomes data and is happy to share this detailed information with patients.

To find out more about robotic surgery and its benefits, call Montana Colon to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.