Using robotics for many medical procedures has become standard practice within the past decade but one Peninsula surgeon has mastered the complex task, reaching a milestone many haven’t surgeons haven’t — completing 1,000 robotic surgical cases.
“It’s a bit surreal to be honest. … It’s quite a feat but I’m humbled,” Dr. Beemen Khalil, a general and bariatric surgeon and Sequoia Hospital’s chief of surgery, said.
Khalil has been a practicing surgeon for 12 years and has spent much of that time performing robotic surgeries. Though he said he identifies as a “conservative surgeon” he was drawn to the technology for its potential to complete minimally invasive work with greater dexterity.
That interest has propelled him into one of the most respected robotics surgeons in the field, having now completed 1,000 robotic surgeries in relatively short order. His expertise has led him to write books on the subject and teach classes to other surgeons looking to now adopt the practice.
“I don’t think of myself as a trailblazer. I always want to make sure what I’m doing is best for the patient,” Khalil said.
Redwood City’s Gail McAlavey said she was excited to learn she’d be Khalil’s thousandth patient. After being diagnosed with a gallstone, her primary doctor referred her to Khalil who informed McAlavey she would either have to have her gallbladder removed or risk it potentially erupting given that the stone was sitting at the neck of the organ.
Having had other procedures completed in the past, McAlavey said she was nervous about the surgery. She’s struggled with the idea of being put under and had never undergone robotic surgery.
But after speaking with Khalil and doing her own research on the procedure, she said she grew more comfortable with the idea and agreed to have it done. A phone call from Khalil the Sunday before her procedure solidified her confidence and a followup from him on Wednesday reassured her of her decision, she said.
“If anybody is considering a procedure, he’s definitely the doctor,” McAlavey said. “He’s definitely the man to calm every nerve.”
Dr. Dieter Bruno, Sequoia Hospital’s chief medical officer, also praised Khalil and called his thousandth robotic procedure an “outstanding feat” and a “very laudable accomplishment” few have obtained.
To get there, and to do so in under a decade as Khalil has, Bruno said the surgeon had to be extremely dedicated to his work and notably reliable. Only a top surgeon known to complete impressive work in a timely manner could receive so many referrals and build up a trusting clientele, he said.
Bruno started the Sequoia Hospital’s robotic surgery program in 2008 with a vision of creating a space where surgeons like Khalil could pursue their passions for using the tools in the surgical room.
At the time, many surgeons and hospitals were apprehensive to explore the new method. The expensive machines required a large upfront capital investment and would take surgeons who’d grown accustomed to “old-fashioned” approaches to learn new skills, Khalil said.
Early on, Bruno said he saw the benefits of robotic surgeries. With fewer incisions, blood loss is cut substantially and less trauma is inflicted on a patient’s body, allowing them to recover quicker.
“At the end of the day, what robots allow us to do is continuously work on the quality of the surgeries that can be done,” Bruno said. “It’s allowed us to take an excellent surgeon and arm them with continually evolving technology.”
More than a decade later, using the ever-advancing technology has become commonplace particularly in the field of gynecology and oncology. While Khalil was learning to use the robotics before there was a handbook or extensive data, future surgeons are now able to pick up the practice during their residency.
Khalil said it’s about time robotics became a more common feature in surgical rooms given the level of equity they can bring to a patient’s life. The less invasive surgeries can have some patients up and moving as soon as a week after the procedure, allowing them to quickly get to work rather than resting the four weeks it can take after open surgery.
Through Operation Access, a nonprofit that connects surgeons and surgical centers with underserved individuals needing care, Khalil said he’s seen the equity play out firsthand for the local farm workers and laborers on which he has operated.
Khalil said he believes the procedures will become even more prevalent in the coming years. The more the technology is used, the less expensive the tools become as competitors jump in with their own developments.
And with stronger competition comes greater innovation, Khalil said, noting data is being collected now that will be used to inform future advancements such as the use of artificial intelligence or augmented reality in surgical settings.
“This is always an evolving and dynamic field,” Khalil said, unable to go into detail due to nondisclosure agreements with companies whose projects he’ll have a chance to test. “There’s a lot on the horizon.”
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