Surgical robot offers incisionless treatment for rectal cancer
A groundbreaking surgical robot known as the ESP robotic platform is now being used at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse to treat early-stage rectal cancer and large polyps with a minimally invasive approach. This innovative technology allows surgeons to perform transanal minimally invasive surgeries without making any abdominal incisions.
“It allows us for a lot of patients to remove either benign lesions or polyps or even early stage rectal cancers without having to do any big operations,” said Dr. Haitham Wadi, a colorectal surgeon at St. Joseph’s Health. “The idea is organ preservation, which means less pain, faster recovery, faster healing and quicker to get home, hopefully.”
The ESP robot is currently used for patients with early-stage rectal cancer or polyps that are not removable via standard colonoscopy. The procedure is so minimally invasive that many patients are able to return home the same day, with the experience likened to undergoing a colonoscopy. Dr. Wadi sees this as a glimpse into the future of surgical care, where less-invasive techniques become the norm, improving patient outcomes and overall healthcare efficiency.