Phoebe surgeon celebrates 1000th robotic surgery
Albany, Ga. – Phoebe General Surgeon Jason Langer, DO, completed his 1000th surgery using the da Vinci robotic-assisted surgical system on Thursday. Dr. Langer’s da Vinci volume places him among the top 10% of surgeons in the United States and confirms his status as one of the most experienced robotic surgery experts in south Georgia.
“I think it’s the best surgery a patient can get with the technology we have to give them the best outcomes,” Dr. Langer said.
Dr. Langer’s 1000th robotic surgery – all of which have been performed at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital – was a gall bladder removal.
“I’ll be able to hide all the incisions, so this patient won’t have any visible scars. That’s not possible with everyone, but it is possible with certain patients,” Dr. Langer said. “Other benefits are less blood loss, less tissue manipulation and trauma to the tissue which means less post-op pain and a quicker return to normal.”
The most common procedures Dr. Langer performs using the da Vinci system are hernia and gall bladder surgeries, but almost any surgery that can be done laparoscopically – a minimally invasive surgical technique – Dr. Langer performs even less invasively using the robot. On the same day he performed his 1000th robotic surgery, Dr. Langer reached another milestone, completing his 100th Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF) procedure, an endoscopic valve reconstruction to treat chronic acid reflux. He typically combines that procedure with a robotic hernia repair.
“It’s been very successful. Very few of my patients have a recurrence of reflux, and I have not seen side effects that are common with other reflux surgery in any of my patients,” Dr. Langer said. “Patients feel so much better afterward, I usually have to slow them down and remind them that, even though they feel better quickly, they’re still healing.”
Dr. Langer believes robotic-assisted surgery will continue to become more common and more advanced, and he is committed to remaining on the cutting edge of the technology. He teaches other surgeons how to use the da Vinci system and is training physician residents from Morehouse School of Medicine training at Phoebe. He can ensure they are proficient by allowing them to utilize the robotic system for simulated surgeries before they perform an actual surgery. Dr. Langer says robotic surgery also has other benefits for the surgeons.
“It will allow me to operate longer because it takes away the ergonomic stress on my body. I’m able to operate without all these abnormal twists and turns. The robotic console allows me to be in a safer position to avoid pain and stress on my body,” he said.
While focusing on robotic surgery may extend his career, Dr. Langer’s primary concern is his patients. “It’s better for the patient, and my number one goal is to do what’s best for my patients.”
If you would like to discuss potential surgical needs with Dr. Langer, call Phoebe General Surgery at 229-312-5080 to schedule an appointment.
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