February 15, 2012
St.Vincent Doctor is First in Indiana to Use Robotic Surgical Procedure for Cervical Insufficiencies
A cervical insufficiency often causes a woman to have a miscarriage or a preterm birth during the second and third trimesters.
INDIANAPOLIS – Dr. James Sumners at St.Vincent Women’s Hospital is the first surgeon in Indiana, and is among a select group of physicians in the United States, specializing in Robotic-assisted transabdominal cervical cerclage (RoboTac) surgeries, a treatment of cervical insufficiency (CI).
The abdominal cerclage, a more permanent solution, involves stitching at the very top of the cervix, inside the abdomen. This surgery, while proving successful, requires several overnight hospital stays and a slower recovery.
Today, Dr. Sumners is the leader in Indiana to offer a Robotic-assisted transabdominal cervical cerclage (RoboTac) by using the da Vinci® robotic surgical system. The da Vinci® robotic surgical system enhances surgical capabilities by providing greater visualization and precision for the surgeon and a more rapid recovery for the patient. The robotic procedure provides Dr. Sumners with an alternative to traditional surgery by manually operating a robot to allow a more complex and delicate procedure.
By using the da Vinci® robotic surgical system, Dr. Sumners uses five small incisions for the surgery compared to a long incision in the abdomen with more traditional surgery. Patients benefit from the innovative surgery technique as it relates to reduced blood loss, quicker recovery time, earlier discharge from the hospital, and less discomfort.
Eight percent of pregnancies lost in the second trimester are due to CI, is a medical condition in which a pregnant woman’s cervix begins to dilate and thin before her pregnancy has reached term. A CI often causes a woman to have a miscarriage or a preterm birth during the second and third trimesters.
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About St.Vincent Women’s Hospital
St.Vincent Women’s Hospital is Central Indiana’s only dedicated women’s hospital, providing a full continuum of care. The 209,025-square-foot hospital encompasses 48 private rooms; a 26-bed High-Risk Obstetrics Unit; a 24/7 staffed Level III C 75-bed Newborn Intensive Care Unit; and the largest group of Maternal Fetal Medicine physicians in Indiana. St.Vincent Women’s Hospital offers quality services including prenatal diagnosis, genetic counseling, breast health, menopause and gynecologic health. The family-focused practice of keeping the neonate with the mother at the hospital establishes St.Vincent Women’s Hospital as a leader in newborn care throughout the state. The hospital’s Center for Women’s Health is a comprehensive resource providing beneficial health education and information for women, and serves as a portal to help women navigate through health services. The faith-based hospital is the first in the state to earn the Disease-Specific Care Certification for High Risk Obstetrics from The Joint Commission, the nation’s premier healthcare accreditation entity.
For more information contact:
Jen Dial
St.Vincent Health
Public Relations Consultant
(317) 583-4031
jkdial@stvincent.org