Dr. Bagnato Makes History with Lap Band and Reflux Surgery

Posted: Mar 25 in Surgery Choices by Staff

“Over the past 20 years, we as surgeons have seen the evolution of abdominal surgery go from a large six to eight inch incision, to the use of laparoscopic keyhole incisions that have greatly improved patient outcomes and recovery,” said Dr. John Bagnato, who became the second surgeon in the world to use the SPIDER Surgical System to perform LAP-BAND surgery today. “With this new precise SPIDER Surgical System, the technology now exists to decrease the number of keyhole incisions, and soon attain a standard in patient care where a safe single keyhole incision procedure is a reality. Not only does this provide a more cosmetically appealing outcome for the patient, as scarring is minimized to the unseen area of the belly button, but the recovery time is shortened with the improvement of the procedure becoming less invasive to the patient.”

The SPIDER Surgical System is a device that enables general surgeons like Dr. Bagnato to use a single entry point, like a patient’s belly button, to perform complex procedures such as LAP-BAND surgery, gallbladder and appendix removals. Traditionally, laparoscopic surgeries like these have required up to five separate incisions. The SPIDER Surgical System, which operates with two tentacle-like arms that have a full 360-degree range of motion, is also versatile enough to accommodate a fiber-optic camera that eliminates the need for additional incisions.

The Palmyra Medical Center was one of three hospitals in the United States to successfully employ the SPIDER Surgical System this week and is one of few hospitals in the world to offer this less invasive new technology to patients.  Along with, procedures like gallbladder and appendix removal, LAP-BAND surgery, and stomach-repair surgery for acid reflux disease.

Eric Riggle, hospital spokesman for Palmyra Medical Center, said that the implementation of the SPIDER Surgical System will offer increased growth opportunities for the local medical community, in addition to offering improved care to the local population. According to Riggle, there are plans underway to broaden the use of the SPIDER Surgical System from general and bariatric surgeries to include procedures in areas such as Urology and Gynecology. “More options for patients,” said Riggle, “means a more complete solution in providing the best patient care.”