Summa Health System Performs Northeast Ohio's First Robotic Lobectomy

Summa One of Four U.S. Healthcare Organizations to Offer Lung Cancer Procedure

AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Summa Health System recently became
Northeast Ohio's first healthcare organization and one of only four in the
nation to offer robotic lobectomy surgery for patients with lung cancer.
Unlike a typical lobectomy, which requires the patient's chest to be cut open
through an incision between the ribs, the robotic procedure, performed at
Akron City Hospital, allows for the removal of an entire lobe of the lung
through four small incisions in the chest.
Approximately 250,000 patients will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009.
A patient's best chance of cure is when the disease is detected in its
earliest stages and can be removed surgically. A lobectomy is generally
performed in patients with early stage lung cancer.
"The robotic lobectomy is a significant advance in the treatment of early
stage lung cancer," said Summa Cardiothoracic Surgeon Eric Espinal. "Lung
cancer kills more people each year than breast, colon and prostate cancer
combined. It is our hope that a more minimally-invasive option could allow a
greater number of patients to undergo the procedure while resulting in less
pain, a shorter hospital stay and more rapid healing."
There are several benefits to the robotic approach. For example, recovery
from an open-chest procedure generally takes 8 - 12 weeks; however, following
a closed-chest procedure, recovery is closer to 3 - 4 weeks. Also, while
additional research is needed, it is believed that concomitant treatment, such
as radiation or chemotherapy, can be implemented sooner with a lower risk of
complications or side effects.
"This is an area of intense study at Summa Health System," added Dr.
Espinal. "We are carefully studying the effects of new approaches to lung
cancer through participation in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Registry,
which allows us to compare our outcomes with those from lung cancer centers
around the country."
Information about Summa's Minimally Invasive Surgery Institute, Summa's
Cancer Program and the robotic-assisted lobectomy can be obtained by calling
800-23-Summa (800-237-8662) or by visiting www.summahealth.org.
About Summa Health System
Summa Health System is one of the largest organized delivery systems in
Ohio. Encompassing a network of hospitals, community health centers, a health
plan, a physician-hospital organization, research and a foundation, Summa is
nationally renowned for excellence in patient care and for exceptional
approaches to healthcare delivery. Summa's clinical services are consistently
recognized by U.S. News and World Report, Thomson Healthcare (formerly
Solucient) and The Leapfrog Group. For more information, visit
www.summahealth.org.
SOURCE Summa Health System

Mike Bernstein, Public Relations Manager, Summa Health System,
+1-330-375-7930, Pager: +1-330-971-4421, bernsteinm@summa-health.org