The Robotic Liver Surgery Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian has reached a remarkable milestone, performing the first robotic single-port hepatectomy in New York. Led by the liver surgery team at Columbia, this achievement reflects a continued push to expand what is possible in liver surgery while helping more patients recover safely and effectively.
Robotic single-port hepatectomy is a 'next-gen' minimally invasive approach to liver resection. While most minimally invasive liver surgeries require several small incisions, single-port robotic hepatectomies are performed through just one small incision, often hidden in the belly button. The robotic system gives surgeons a magnified 3D view and highly flexible instruments, allowing surgeons to operate with exceptional precision.
With only one incision, patients may experience less pain, less scarring, and a faster recovery, while still benefiting from the proven advantages of robotic surgery, including less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and fewer complications.
"Liver surgery has been transformed from a procedure that once required a 1-week hospital stay and several months of recovery to one that can now be performed as an outpatient procedure, with rapid return to health and function through the use of robotic technology," says Jason Hawksworth, MD, Director of Robotic Liver Surgery Program at Columbia/NYP.
Early research has shown this approach to be a safe and effective option for many patients. This milestone further establishes Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian as a leader in surgical innovation and advanced liver care.