Robotic Weight-loss Surgery at Penn

Surgeons at Penn Medicine have been providing the highest quality medical care while helping patients achieve their lifestyle and weight loss goals for more than 20 years. Now they have combined that comprehensive care with robotic-assisted surgery for treating severe obesity.

Obesity has become an epidemic problem in the United States, reducing the life span of many Americans and impacting the nation’s health in detrimental ways. Morbid obesity is often associated with medical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea and an increased risk of colorectal and other cancers. For many of these people, diets, medications and behavior modifications often fail.

Surgical treatments of obesity, including the robotic assisted vertical sleeve gastrectomy and Lap-Band® procedures, offer hope as a proven method of achieving long-term weight loss for this population. Bariatric surgeons at the Hospital of the University Pennsylvania have been using the surgical robot when performing vertical sleeve gastrectomy and Lap-Band procedures for several years. Because of the robot’s ergonomic design and 3D imaging, it is ideally suited for bariatric surgery.

Penn is at the forefront of bariatric surgery. In addition to performing bariatric procedures for more than 20 years, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Hospital are recognized as a Centers of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

Noel Williams, MD, director of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program, said there are many advantages for patients when using robotics for bariatric surgery including:

• Reduced trauma to the body
• Shorter recovery time
• Less chance of infection
• Less postoperative pain

Get more information about weight-loss surgery at Penn

Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you by attending a free weight-loss information session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn at this free session, and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

Register for this free weight-loss information session.