Columbia at the cutting edge: robotic liver cancer surgery

Robotic surgery offers significant advantages over traditional open and laparoscopic approaches, particularly in the context of complex liver resections. Columbia’s surgeons utilize the latest robotic technology that offers high-definition, 3D visualization and precise control, allowing for greater accuracy in targeting tumors in hard-to-reach areas of the liver.

“The liver is an incredibly complex organ,” says Hawksworth. “This robotic system gives us an unprecedented map of the liver and the precision to perform such delicate procedures without harming the surrounding tissue and blood vessels.”

The result? Better outcomes for patients. Studies have shown that robotic liver surgery reduces intraoperative blood loss by up to 50%, decreases postoperative complications by 30%, and shortens hospital stays by several days.

Hawksworth envisions that robotic liver surgery will further revolutionize liver cancer care, giving a surgical option to patients who, with traditional surgery, were previously considered inoperable. “We have been able to do surgeries that wouldn’t have been possible without this technology,” says Hawksworth. “As one of the few programs in the world with this specialized expertise, we are at the cutting edge of a new era in liver cancer care, providing patients with safer, less invasive, and more effective treatment.”