LIMA — Surgeons at Lima Memorial Health System have performed more than 5,000 robot-assisted surgeries since the hospital introduced the robotic surgery systems, Lima Memorial reported Friday.
The health system celebrated its milestone achievement this week as Dr. Jeremy Heffner, a board-certified general surgeon with Midwest Surgical Specialists, surpassed his own milestone of performing upward of 2,000 robotic surgeries for Lima Memorial.
The health system was selected as a host site for robotic surgery mentorships in 2016 because of Heffner’s work. Lima Memorial has expanded its robot-assisted surgical abilities since that time, including the purchase of equipment for robotic spinal and brain surgeries in 2020.
Surgeons control the robotic arms that perform the surgery via computers, while three-dimensional cameras allow surgeons to see up close.
“It’s almost like the first video game that matters,” Heffner said.
The result, according to Heffner, is smaller incisions and more minimally invasive procedures in which patients recover faster.
Heffner started performing the robot-assisted procedures for Lima Memorial in 2013.
“When I first started doing it,” Heffner said, “I would give it three months and if I noticed an obvious improvement, then I would be on board. Otherwise, it was not worth the extra time to learn it. Within six weeks, it was obvious that it was a much better way of doing things.
“Now we’ve of course perfected the technique and our efficiency, our ability to do things and our patient outcomes have all been better and better each year.”
Dr. Jeremy Heffner, a board-certified general surgeon, has performed more than 2,000 robot-assisted surgeries for Lima Memorial Health System since 2013. Heffner’s work led the hospital to be designated as a mentorship site for surgeons to learn robotic surgery six years ago.
Surgeons at Lima Memorial Health System have performed more than 5,000 robot-assisted surgeries since the hospital introduced the robotic surgery systems, Lima Memorial reported Friday.
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