Modern Medicine

Local surgeon uses a surgical robot to reduce pain, and patient recovery time.

Dr. William Hinojosa recalls his first experience with robotic surgical technology in medicine during his residency 20 years ago. In fact, robotic surgical systems have been in development since 1997.

“As with all new things, I was a little skeptical,” Hinojosa said about some of the early models on the market. “Robotic cases often took twice the amount of time to perform the same surgery than with traditional laparoscopy. Earlier versions had limitations that I felt just didn’t make it feel very useful for general surgery.”

However, the latest generation of the da Vinci XI robot has been a game changer, according to Hinojosa, who is a board-certified general surgeon with Norman Regional Health Systems. Surgeons can use a computer-controlled robot to perform minimally invasive surgeries resulting in “less pain, less scarring, less bleeding and a reduced risk of infection,” Hinojosa said.

While no surgery is without risk, he feels like the da Vinci XI surgical robot “allows for a more efficient and safer surgery,” two things that significantly impact patient outcomes. Dr. Hinojosa said the surgical robot has allowed him to turn what would typically be a multiple-night hospital stay into outpatient surgery.

“Because of the visualization of the camera, the stability of the robotic arms, and the dexterity of the wristed instruments, I was able to complete surgeries with the robot through small incisions and (my patients) were able to go home the same day as their surgery,” he explained.

Dr. Hinojosa said the da Vinci XI has a wide range of applications. He most commonly uses the robot for hernia and gallbladder surgeries, but other specialties use it for prostate surgery, hysterectomies and even chest surgeries.

Traditional, open hernia surgery would require a large, midline incision from the sternum to the pelvis, but, with the robot, he can fix a hernia with three dimesized incisions.

Dr. Hinojosa sees even more potential in the future as advancement could allow for more integration with pre-op imaging such as a CT scan or an MRI.

“We already have the ability to see through some tissue using a laser technology called Fire Fly,” he shared. “Fire Fly allows us to be able to see blood vessels and ducts using a special dye during an operation.

“Just like on newer phones, augmented reality can add a couch to a room or picture on a wall so you can see what it will look like, that same sort of technology can be used in an operation with a patient’s preoperative scans to identify complex structures.”

Dr. Hinojosa is excited to see what advancements are in the pipeline but, in the meantime, he is thankful to have this type of robotic technology available to serve his patients.

He encourages anyone interested in robotic surgery to visit with their surgeon about what is right for them because “not every patient is a candidate for robotic surgery.”

“Patients should have a discussion with their doctor about the risks and benefits of every procedure and decide together what is the right approach for them,” he said. “Patients need to make sure they feel comfortable and agree with the plan.”

Dr. Hinojosa joined Norman Regional in June 2021 after leaving the United States Air Force. He has lived in Norman since 2013. His wife, Dr. Jessica Hinojosa, DO, is an OB/GYN with Women’s Healthcare of Norman.

To learn more about Hinojosa and see the da Vinci Xi robot in action, visit normanregional.com/doctors/1292-william-hinojosa-do. –19SM