The Bariatric Surgery Center Network Accreditation Program has given their highest accreditation, a Level 1A facility, to Albany Medical Center’s bariatric surgery program.
Albany Medical Center is the only hospital in the Albany, NY area to get this accreditation. The designation signifies that the Albany Medical Center is capable of handling the most surgically complicated patients.
The center has been in operation since 1984 and offers traditional gastric bypass, minimally invasive gastric bypass, and minimally invasive gastric banding.
According to the program, successful candidates should undergo consultation with a physician or dietician six months prior to surgery to discuss beginning a reduced calorie diet, as well as starting an exercise program. Patients also start a behavior modification program that lasts until after surgery. Albany Medical Center offers a weekly support group for pre and post surgical patients.
For those who are interested in Albany Medical Center, they have a very comprehensive website. It covers topics in education, such as finding out your BMI to determine if you are obese and if so what category you fit in, as well as a section that covers risk factors for those who are obese.
You can find out more information about the doctors in the bariatric surgery program, read discussions on lifestyle changes needed, and frequently asked questions (such as side effects, diet, preparation before surgery, and even life after surgery).
There is a comprehensive list of internet resources for additional questions you may have. Another informative link is to a bariatric surgery seminar given by Dr. T. Paul Singh who works for Albany Medical Center.
Albany, New York Bariatric Surgeons Trained to Use Da Vinci Robot
Over four years ago surgeons at Albany Medical Center began using the da Vinci Robot. This robot aids in helping surgeons to perform less invasive forms of surgery. It is an effective alternative to both traditional surgery and laparoscopic surgery.
The da Vinci Robot helps a surgeon to perform even the most complex surgeries with minimal invasion of the body. It is likened to having major surgery completed through a small incision.
Use of the da Vinci Robot has proven to produce less pain, shorter hospital stays, quicker return to normal daily living, and most importantly, greater clinical outcomes.
While most people envision a robot as acting on its own after having been given commands, this is not what happens with the da Vinci Robot. At no time does the surgeon give up control to the machine.
The da Vinci Robot is merely an advanced tool that allows the surgeon access to the patient without large incisions. The da Vinci Robot is actually a platform that has very small instruments along with a 3D camera so that the surgeon can see inside the body. It does require several smaller incisions. The surgeon then makes moves while watching the 3D image and those actions are then transmitted through the da Vinci Robot, which essentially mimics the surgeon. At no time can the machine direct itself or decide to do anything on its own.
Leave a Reply