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The American Cancer Society, which is celebrating on Wednesday a century of fighting a disease once viewed as a death sentence, is making a pledge to put itself out of business.More >> The American Cancer Society, which is celebrating on Wednesday a century of fighting a disease once viewed as a death sentence, is making a pledge to put itself out of business.More >> In the aftermath of this week's deadly tornado, many people in Oklahoma are not only struggling to care for children and relatives, but also their pets.More >> In the aftermath of this week's deadly tornado, many people in Oklahoma are not only struggling to care for children and relatives, but also their pets.More >> Kids who eat fast food at least twice a week are 50 percent less likely to use calorie and nutritional information than kids who eat fast food less often.More >> Kids who eat fast food at least twice a week are 50 percent less likely to use calorie and nutritional information than kids who eat fast food less often.More >> Teen birth rates in the United States are dropping sharply, especially among Hispanic teens, according to a new government report.More >> Teen birth rates in the United States are dropping sharply, especially among Hispanic teens, according to a new government report.More >> Over the last decade, the number of American children who die each year awaiting an organ donation dropped by more than half, new research reveals. And increasing numbers of children are receiving donor organs.More >> Over the last decade, the number of American children who die each year awaiting an organ donation dropped by more than half, new research reveals. And increasing numbers of children are receiving donor organs.More >>
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Teen birth rates in the United States are dropping sharply, especially among Hispanic teens, according to a new government report.More >> Teen birth rates in the United States are dropping sharply, especially among Hispanic teens, according to a new government report.More >> The overall health of Americans isn't improving much, with about six in 10 people either overweight or obese and large numbers engaging in unhealthy behaviors like smoking, heavy drinking or not exercising.More >> The overall health of Americans isn't improving much, with about six in 10 people either overweight or obese and large numbers engaging in unhealthy behaviors like smoking, heavy drinking or not exercising.More >> When a classmate commits suicide, teens are more likely to consider or attempt suicide themselves, according to a new study. More >> When a classmate commits suicide, teens are more likely to consider or attempt suicide themselves, according to a new study. More >> Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Pregnant women with specific alterations in two genes may be at increased risk of suffering depression after giving birth, a small new study suggests.More >> Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >> Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.More >>
by Julie Tam
An East Texas hospital is the first in our area to perform a groundbreaking surgery. A Henderson man underwent heart surgery with the use of robots.
It's hard to imagine that 60-year-old Jerry Wade underwent triple bypass heart surgery just over a week ago.
"It's just been amazing," he said. "Here it is, eight days later, and I'm up and around and just a little tired, but [have] very little pain."
Before last Monday, Jerry would have still been recovering for several more weeks. But that was before the world's most advanced robotic surgery was made possible in East Texas. Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler is the first hospital in the area to use the minimally-invasive da Vinci surgical system.
Dr. William Turner is the surgeon who operated on Jerry by moving robotic arms to mimic what the human hand would normally do. Da Vinci is the only FDA-approved technology in the U.S. that allows the surgeon this type of intuitive control and fine tissue manipulation.
"The most obvious benefit is that you're able to get the maneuverability of the human hand into a very small cavity," Dr. Turner said.
Heart surgeons used to have to open up the entire chest cavity by cutting through the breast bone and ribs. Now, robotic surgery allows for less blood loss, less scarring, and less risk of infection.
"There's a small incision on the left breast," Wade said. "And then there's a small cut above and below."
Surgeons say da Vinci is more precise than the human hand alone. But it needs human control because the robot cannot make decisions. Doctors predict robotic surgery will soon become the norm for all surgeries.
