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| Danbury Hospital Surgeon Develops Bariatric Micro-Surgery Technique With The Help Of High-Definition Technology |
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110108103
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As a grandmother who wanted to be more active with her grandchildren, Virginia Johnson of Brewster, NY, has all the proof she needs that undergoing micro-laparoscopic bariatric surgery with Keith Zuccala, MD, at the Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Danbury Hospital was one of the best decisions of her life.
“I went to Hershey Park with my daughter and two grandchildren recently and walked the entire amusement park from morning to night,” said Johnson, 66, who has lost 80 pounds since the surgery. “Before the operation, I would have been sitting down every few minutes to catch my breath.”
Alarmed by her escalating weight gain throughout the years, Czechetta Cobb, 69, of Danbury, Conn., remembers the moment she realized it was time to take control of her health by having micro-laparoscopic bariatric surgery at Danbury Hospital. “I looked in the mirror and saw my grandmother who was almost 300 pounds when she died of a cerebral hemorrhage. I was headed in the same direction.” Today, Cobb stays active by exercising three times a week at Danbury Hospital’s exercise facility on Main Street. “I feel great,” says Cobb, who has gone from a size 22 to a size 14 since the surgery.
Cobb and Johnson are among the growing number of patients who are reaping the benefits of micro-laparoscopic surgical procedures developed by Zuccala, director of Laparoscopic Surgery at Danbury Hospital. These patients credit their quick and smooth recovery to Zuccala’s innovative techniques using miniscule incisions. Zuccala’s novel approach, made possible by the state-of-the-art high-definition (HD) technology available at Danbury Hospital, has drawn national and international attention.
A new era of micro-laparoscopic surgery begins
“High-definition technology has dramatically changed the visualization of surgical procedures and the use of microscopic tools, making it possible for surgeons to perform micro-laparoscopy,” said Zuccala. A regional medical center and university teaching hospital, Danbury Hospital is among the first facilities in Connecticut to acquire high-definition technology.
Zuccala uses a miniature camera and microscopic tools to perform surgeries through incisions that are only 3 millimeters—half the size of the smallest incisions used during traditional laparoscopic surgery. “The results are smaller scars, less post-operative pain and discomfort, and a quicker recovery,” said Zuccala, who holds the Harold and Myra Spratt Chair in Minimally Invasive Surgery. The technique is used in hernia repair, bariatric, gallbladder, anti-reflux and other abdominal surgeries.
Micro-laparoscopy represents the next step in the evolution of laparoscopic surgery, explained Zuccala, who earlier this year spoke about the topic with colleagues at a meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. In November, Zuccala will speak about micro-invasive laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at the 21st World Congress of Digestive Surgery in Beijing.
“We’ve gone from open surgery with large incisions that can be several inches long to minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery with much smaller incisions,” he said. “Now we’re using micro instruments to perform micro-laparoscopic surgery that reduces the size of incisions from 10 millimeters to 3 millimeters.”
During micro-laparoscopic surgery, Zuccala inserts microscopic tools and a miniaturized video camera into the body through tiny, minimally invasive incisions. The images are displayed on a large high-resolution screen in the operating room, allowing the surgeon to view internal structures with crystal-clear clarity and detail while operating. “The new high-definition technology allows for smaller surgical equipment and shorter incisions,” he said. Danbury Hospital has two fixed HD video systems for two surgical suites and two mobile units that can be brought into any operating room.
Benefits of micro-laparoscopic surgery are plentiful
Johnson, who says her tiny incisions are barely visible, credits Zuccala’s micro-laparoscopic procedure with her one-night hospital stay and overall rapid recovery. “There was no big gash or incision to worry about. Everything healed very nicely. I had lots of confidence in Dr. Zuccala and the hospital staff,” said Johnson, who was 300 pounds at the time of her surgery. “The weight just seems to fall off.” Johnson has significantly reduced her need for heart and pain medication since the surgery.
Cobb, who weighed 250 pounds before surgery, doesn’t understand all the technical aspects of micro-laparoscopy. But she knows one thing for certain—she can barely locate the five incisions on her abdomen.
“I have five little dots that will eventually fade. Dr. Zuccala said most of the incisions are below the bikini line so I can wear a bikini next summer. I told him that at 69, this body isn’t getting into a bikini,” joked Cobb. “The micro-laparoscopic surgery was a breeze. I woke up after surgery feeling really comfortable and with no pain.” In addition to losing weight, Cobb no longer needs medication to control her high blood pressure and cholesterol. “It’s truly amazing,” she said.
She does have one regret: “I gave away all my small clothes last summer because I thought I’d never fit into them again,” said Cobb. “I’m glad I was wrong!”
Danbury Hospital is a 371-bed regional medical center and university teaching hospital associated with New York Medical College, the Yale University School of Medicine, the Connecticut School of Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center.
It is only one of five hospitals in the Tri-State region (CT, NY, NJ) to be ranked among the top 5 percent for cardiac care. It received HealthGrades®’ five-star ranking in coronary bypass surgery, valve replacement surgery and coronary interventional procedures, and treatment of heart attack, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
It is ranked in the top 5 percent of hospitals in the country for overall clinical performance by HealthGrades®, an independent health-care rating organization, for 2005 through 2008, the only CT hospital to be recognized for four consecutive years. It provides centers of excellence in cardiovascular services, cancer, weight-loss surgery, orthopedics, digestive disorders and radiology, with specialized programs for sleep disorders and asthma management. More than 95 percent of the medical staff are board certified in their specialties.
For information and appointments, call (203) 739-7131 or visit www.danburyhospital.org.
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