Robotic Surgery

Ochsner offers robot-assisted options in multiple areas. Surgeries include:

• Bariatric surgery

• Colon and rectal surgery

• Endocrine surgery

• General surgery

• Gynecology

• Gynecology oncology

• Head and neck cancer

• Joint replacement

• Stomach and digestive surgery

• Surgical oncology

• Thoracic surgery

• Transplant

• Urology
  • Enlarged prostate
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Kidney masses and kidney cancer
  • Kidney stones
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Prostate cancer

da Vinci Surgical System

The da Vinci Surgical System is an advanced robotic tool that helps your surgeon perform certain procedures with greater precision and control. It's commonly used for surgeries like prostate procedures, gynecologic operations, hernia repairs, and some heart and lung surgeries. With tiny instruments and a high-definition camera controlled by your doctor at a nearby console, the system allows for smaller incisions. This can lead to less pain, minimal scarring, and faster recovery times.

Mako Robotic‑Arm Interactive Orthopedic System

The Mako Robotic-Arm Interactive Orthopedic System, also known as Mako or Mako SmartRobotics, is an advanced tool that helps surgeons perform joint replacement surgeries with incredible accuracy. It’s used for total knee, partial knee and total hip replacements (Makoplasty). Before surgery, your surgeon uses a 3D scan to create a personalized plan tailored to your specific needs. During the procedure, the Mako system assists by guiding the surgeon’s hand with precision, helping ensure better implant placement, less pain and a quicker recovery. 

VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution

The VELYS system is designed to make total knee replacements more accurate, streamlined, and focused on the patient. It eliminates the need for pre-operative scans, integrates seamlessly into existing surgical workflows, and provides real-time robotic guidance. This approach reduces soft-tissue disruption, promotes faster recovery, and ensures a more precise procedure.

Since the widespread adoption of robotic surgery in the early 2000s, Ochsner surgeons have used the technology for an ever-growing number of surgical procedures. Today, they perform both routine and complex operations robotically.

Bronchoscopy and resection

Ochsner was the first hospital in the region to offer robot-assisted bronchoscopy and resection. Using a 3D map of the airway, our lung specialists can find and remove early-stage lung cancer in a single hospital visit. This means patients don’t have to come back for multiple appointments over weeks or months.

Knee and hip replacement 

Hip and knee replacements are common surgeries that help reduce pain and improve movement. Both are elective procedures with high success rates.

At Ochsner, our surgeons use the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution for knee replacements and the Mako Robotic Arm system for both hip and knee surgeries. These robotic tools help improve the accuracy of implant placement compared to traditional surgery, leading to better results for patients.

Whipple procedure

This procedure is used to treat pancreatic cancer. The surgeon removes the head of the pancreas, gallbladder, nearby lymph nodes and other tissue. Some patients may receive chemotherapy or radiation before or after surgery.

Ochsner surgeons performed the first robotic Whipple procedure in Louisiana. Today, they perform more robotic Whipple surgeries each year than any other hospital in the region. Ochsner also offers robotic hepatectomy for liver resection, a service not widely available at other hospitals in the area.

Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans has achieved accreditation from the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, recognized for delivering high quality patient care. Our robotic surgery service line has undergone rigorous inspection by an independent, patient safety organization, confirming the commitment to excellence by delivering safer procedures, exceptional care and ensuring a better overall surgical experience.

“I went into surgery at 7 a.m. and was home by 3:30 p.m. with a new hip. Dr. Paul Buzhardt and his team were incredible. Their positivity and expertise amazed me.” - Raymond C.

Robotic surgery, also known as robotic-assisted surgery, offers many benefits compared to traditional open surgery. Using advanced surgical technology and high-definition 3D imaging, surgeons can operate through tiny incisions with enhanced precision and control.

This minimally invasive approach provides several patient benefits, including:

• Faster recovery times

• Smaller incisions with less scarring

• Reduced blood loss and post-op pain

• Lower risk of complications during and after surgery

• Shorter hospital stays

• Decreased likelihood of hospital readmission

Ochsner surgeons use robotic-assisted surgery whenever possible, while always choosing what’s best for each patient.

Sometimes, unique anatomy, health conditions or other issues mean a different approach is safer. In those cases, the surgeon may use another minimally invasive method or perform traditional open surgery.

Robotic surgery is considered safe and, in many cases, offers several advantages over traditional open surgery. Using robotic-assisted technology, surgeons operate through small incisions with enhanced precision, control and visibility. This can lead to:

• Lower risk of infection

• Less blood loss

• Fewer complications

• Shorter hospital stays

• Faster recovery times

While every surgery carries some risk, robotic surgery allows for more accuracy, especially in complex procedures. Ochsner Health’s experienced robotic surgeons carefully evaluate each patient to choose the safest and most effective surgical approach.

Recovery time after robotic surgery is typically faster than with traditional open surgery. Most patients can return to normal activities within a few days to a few weeks, depending on the type of procedure performed and their overall health.

Benefits that support faster recovery include:

• Smaller incisions

• Less pain and blood loss

• Lower risk of complications

• Shorter hospital stays

Your care team at Ochsner Health will provide detailed recovery instructions and follow-up care to help you heal safely and get back to your routine as quickly as possible.