CANYON VISTA MEDICAL CENTER COMPLETES THEIR FIRST FEW ROBOTIC SURGERIES

Dr. Sidney Semrad, DO and Dr. Michael Thompson, DO Complete 4 Robotic Surgeries

Canyon Vista Medical Center (CVMC) is celebrating the accomplishments of two Sierra Vista Medical Group surgeons. Dr. Semrad, DO performed two gynecological robotic surgeries and Dr. Thompson, DO performed one gallbladder and one hernia repair with the assistance of the da Vinci Xi robotic system.

“Robotic-assisted surgery is a significant addition to the technology we have in the CVMC operating room. The robot makes difficult surgeries easier,” Dr. Thompson said. Patients may experience many benefits from robotic surgeries, Dr. Thompson noted, including smaller incisions, less surgical pain and faster recovery times.

The robot connects to all the tools at the operating table, and the surgeon controls all those tools at a console just 8 feet away from the patient. There are many more tools than the surgeon can hold in their two hands. The robotic instruments have an extra dimension of movement beyond the capability of the human hand.

With the minimally invasive techniques, recovery time can be significantly reduced. “This means there’s an increased possibility we can get the patient back to their normal activities much faster,” Dr. Semrad said.

Dr. Semrad’s first CVMC patient shared her experience, “This was my first surgery since my Cesarean section, 25 years ago. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect, how much pain I was going to be in... Dr. Semrad seemed very professional and knowledgeable, so that put me at ease. The doctors were amazing, from the anesthesiologist to the operating room nurses, they all came in and introduced themselves, which helped. And it was quick, there wasn’t a lot of wait time, there wasn’t time for me to be super anxious. Everything was explained, nothing was “What’s happening? What’s going on?” … everything was just, everything just felt good. And the pain is nothing like I thought it would be, I feel more sore, than pain. It's good.”

Dr. Sidney Semrad completed medical school at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecologic Surgery in 1987 at Garden City Osteopathic Medical Center in Michigan. He received his certification in robotic surgery in 2008 and has performed over 100 robotic cases until moving to Sierra Vista in 2017.  In March of this year, he received his recertification to start performing robotic surgeries at CVMC.

Dr. Michael Thompson completed medical school at Des Moines University. He completed his residency in general surgery at Mercy Hospital Des Moines and robot training at Pella Regional Health Center. He estimates he’s performed over 10,000 surgeries in total since the start of his career in 2007.

To learn more about robotic-assisted surgery visit www.CanyonVistaMedicalCenter.com/robotic-assisted-surgery