Surgical Services

The Pre-Procedure Admission process is an important part of preparing for a patient’s procedure.  Each patient is contacted within a week of his/her procedure and a series of questions are asked.  Patients should be prepared to provide health history, medications (including supplements) and COVID vaccination status. This information is used in tandem with the provider to ensure the patient is in an optimal state of health.  After assessing this information, the PPA RN will provide instructions on how to prepare for the procedure and what to expect during the stay.

Due to changes that frequently occur in a surgical/procedure day, an arrival time will be communicated the day prior to surgery so patients have the most accurate information and can plan accordingly.

Pre-Procedure Admission RNs are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm by calling 715-685-5307.  PPA RNs can answer many questions pertaining to the day of surgery process or help coordinate answers with the patient’s provider. If RNs are with another patient, please leave a message.  If there are needs outside of these hours, Perioperative Services is open Monday through Friday from 5:30 am to 5:30 pm and can be reached at 715-685-5304.

Patients are prepared for surgery in the Perioperative Unit. The unit is designed to be user friendly for patients, family and staff.  Once the procedure is complete, the patient recovers in our Phase I Recovery Unit. Inpatients are then brought to their room to complete their recovery. Outpatients complete their recovery in the Same Day Surgery Unit, where loved ones can pick them up. 

Recovery Patients who have had anesthesia or sedation are monitored in our Phase I recovery area. This area provides close monitoring for patients and is often called the Recovery Room. Phase II recovery occurs in the Outpatient area that has 17 private rooms. Here the patient is prepared for discharge.

Non-robotic minimally invasive surgery is also known as endoscopic surgery. You also may be familiar with terms like laparoscopic surgery, thoracoscopic surgery, or “keyhole” surgery. These are minimally invasive procedures that utilize an endoscope to reach internal organs through very small incisions.

Endoscopy is a medical procedure performed by your physician to explore the inside of an organ or body cavity for diagnostic or screening purposes. The endoscope is a long, flexible tube which projects live images onto a screen. Tiny glass fibers within the tube transmit light around curves, enabling the physician to see the structures of the lower gastrointestinal tract or stomach. 

Memorial Medical Center has two endoscopy suites with capabilities to perform flexible fiber optic sigmoidoscopies (FFS), colonoscopies, esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and gastric pH monitoring.

Robotic surgery, or robot-assisted surgery allows doctors to perform many types of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control that is possible with conventional techniques. Robotic surgery is usually associated with minimally invasive surgery — procedures performed through tiny incisions. It is also sometimes used in certain traditional open surgical procedures.

The benefits of minimally invasive robotic surgery can include:

•  Small incisions
•  Less pain
•  Low risk of infection
•  Short hospital stay
•  Quick recovery time
•  Less scarring
•  Reduced blood loss

Robotic surgery involves risk, some of which may be similar to those of conventional open surgery, such as a small risk of infection and other complications.

da Vinci Xi

Robotic surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000.

The da Vinci Xi provides our team of surgeons with enhanced capabilities, including high-definition 3D vision and a magnified view. In many ways, da Vinci is an extension of your doctor’s hand, allowing more precise movements of tiny instruments inside your body. The da Vinci System features a magnified 3D high-definition vision system and tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human wrist. As a result, da Vinci enables your surgeon to operate with enhanced vision, precision, dexterity and control. Please note, while referred to as robot-assisted surgery, every movement of the surgery is performed entirely by your doctor.

NAVIO

Your knee replacement surgery is unique, based on your knee anatomy and the implant used. Designed to help ensure your knee replacement is positioned and aligned correctly, surgeons use the NAVIO Surgical System. Proper positioning of the implant is important because implant alignment is a crucial factor in determining how long your implant may last.

The NAVIO system offers two important benefits for people undergoing a knee replacement procedure. First, it helps your surgeon create a highly individualized plan that is specific to the unique shape and motion of your knee. Traditional planning may require CT scans, a series of images similar to x-rays that shows cross-sections of your knee. While other robotic-assisted platforms require CT scans, the NAVIO system works without them, meaning you are not exposed to the potentially harmful radiation experienced with this type of imaging.

The second benefit is robotic assistance. This combination of advanced technology is designed to help your surgeon and may result in more accuracy, giving you better long-term outcomes. 

Robotic surgery isn’t an option for everyone. Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of robotic surgery and how it compares with other techniques, such as other types of minimally invasive surgery and conventional open surgery.