Euroclinic: Colectomy without an incision in the abdomen! Pan-European Pioneer in Robotic Surgery For the first time in Europe, it was carried out at the Athens Euroclinic by Ms. Thalia Petropoulou MD, PhD, FRCS, Surgeon, Specialized in Robotic & Minimally Invasive Lower Digestive Surgery and her team, Robotic Colectomy through Natural Holes (Robotic NOTES), i.e. without an incision in the abdomen. The patient recovered smoothly and was mobilized just 2 hours after the surgery, while she was discharged the next day in very good clinical condition.
This technique is a very specialized operation which until now, due to its extreme technical difficulty, has only been performed in a few highly specialized centers in the USA and Korea, while it has never been performed in Europe.
It is essentially the removal of part or all of the intestine, through the natural holes of the body, without creating an abdominal incision. While in the Robotic Colectomy, which until recently was the most advanced Colectomy method, the surgery is performed through 4 holes of a few millimeters and an incision of 6-7 cm. to exit the preparation and create the anastomosis, in the NOTES Colectomy, no incision is made in the belly. The advantages of the method are highly impressive, as postoperative pain is almost non-existent, hospitalization is minimal, postoperative hernias disappear and the possibility of wound infections is zero, since there is no surgical wound. NOTES robotics can be performed in diseases of the colon and/or rectum that require surgical intervention. The technique used in this surgery is innovative, as variations of the techniques already applied in the USA were carried out, and it is expected to be published soon, in a reputable surgical journal, in order to secure the patent to the surgeons.
Mr. Antonis Vouklaris, CEO of Euroclinic Group, stated: "At Euroclinic, always having people at the center, we apply the most modern and innovative practices. In an era full of challenges and difficulties, we continue to develop dynamically with a focus on quality and pioneering at a pan-European level".
Ms. Thalia Petropoulou, MD, PhD, FRCS, Surgeon, Head of the Lower Gastrointestinal Robotic Surgery Center, said: "We are in the era of high specialization and the existence of advanced technology, which allows us to carry out operations that previously seemed impossible. With the continuous improvement of the services provided, the quality of life of our patients is also improved and upgraded, which is our primary goal".
