If you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and surgery is recommended, ask your doctor about minimally invasive da Vinci Surgery.

In spite of growing demand for minimally invasive procedures, many times colorectal surgeries are still performed using large, abdominal incisions. These surgeries typically result in significant blood loss, and may mean several days in the hospital followed by weeks of recovery time.

At University of Missouri Health Care, the da Vinci Surgical System provides an alternative to traditional surgery by eliminating the need for a long incision. Instead, the surgeon makes a series of 1- to 2-centimeter incisions to introduce a specialized camera and instruments developed especially to help the surgeon perform complex, minimally invasive surgical procedures. He or she can see vital anatomical structures more clearly and perform a more precise operation.

For most patients, da Vinci colorectal surgery offers numerous potential benefits over traditional open surgery, including:

• Excellent cancer control
• Shorter hospital stay
• Low rate of complications
• Quicker return to bowel function
• Low blood loss
• Quicker return to normal diet

Our da Vinci specialists
Michael Nicholl, MD   Zihao Wu, MD

Am I a candidate for da Vinci surgery?
If you would like to discuss your surgical options with one of our colorectal surgeons, please call (573) 882-8454 to schedule a new patient consultation.