Health experts at Lee Memorial Health System say advanced robotics is playing a big role in the operating room. The technology is allowing patients to experience minimally invasive procedures with a less painful recovery time. Robot assisted laparoscopic surgery was first used at Lee Memorial Health System in 2010. The procedure leaves the patient without a long incision from the abdomen to the back. “Typically a patient would have a large incision. Typically that involved a 5 day recovery, a large incision and was uncomfortable” explained Dr. Omar Benitez, a urologist with Lee Memorial Health System. After the robotic surgery, patients are left with small punctures around the abdomen. It’s why Darren White said he decided to have the robotic surgery in 2015, after a routine physical showed an abnormal mass on his kidney. “It was a new experience. I’ve never really been sick before or had any type of surgery ever performed.” Dr. Benitez says determining if a patient is a good candidate for the robotic surgery depends on the tumor location and the surgeon’s skill. “The benefit of doing it this way is really a shorter length of hospital stay, much less pain, and a quicker recovery.” Darren’s surgery was a success. He now has seven small punctures on his stomach as opposed to a long incision from his abdomen to his back. “It’s just another option that we have to offer patients” said Dr. Benitez. View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/ Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries. Visit leememorial.org