On Monday, October 7, Dr. Manfred Chiang, a surgeon with Ascension Medical Group, completed his 1000th robotic-assisted surgery at Ascension Elmbrook in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Reaching this milestone makes Dr. Chiang one of the most experienced robotic surgeons in the state.
More than 4,000 robotic surgeries have been performed at Ascension Elmbrook since 2009. “I believe robotic surgery offers the latest in technology advancements but what that means for our patients is quicker healing and getting back to their lives faster,” said Dr. Chiang.
Dr. Chiang is one of only a handful of surgeons chosen by Intuitive, maker of the da Vinci surgical robotic system, to share his expertise with other surgeons from around the country. Ascension Elmbrook is the only robotic surgery, bariatric teaching site in Wisconsin. Dr. Daaron McField, a surgeon from Sanford Medical Center Fargo in North Dakota, traveled to Brookfield to observe Dr. Chiang and learn more about his surgical techniques. “It’s always great to observe and talk with a highly-skilled surgeon like Dr. Chiang. I’ve learned a lot from him and will take what I’ve learned back to North Dakota and my patients will benefit as a result,” he said.
“We’re very proud of Dr. Chiang and his surgical team for this exciting milestone,” said Dr. Mushir Hassan, vice president of medical affairs, Ascension Elmbrook. “This achievement represents 1000 of Dr. Chiang’s patients who have benefitted from less invasive surgery, a shorter hospitalization period and faster recovery.”
With typically less patient discomfort and improved results, minimally-invasive surgery, using robotic systems, has become an increasingly popular option over traditional open surgery and laparoscopic surgery. Patient benefits include reduced blood loss and reduced post-procedure pain. Dr. Chiang says using the robot, allows him an enhanced and magnified view of inside the patient’s body, instruments that bend and rotate farther than human hands, and overall enhanced precision and control.
Over the past 20 years, Dr. Chiang has promoted using advanced technology to enable surgery to be done in the most minimally invasive way without compromising surgical principles. This has included adopting single-incision laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery and incisionless natural orifice surgery for the treatment of bariatrics, breast cancer therapy, hepatobiliary disease, hernia surgery, reflux disease, endocrine disorders and colon surgery. Dr. Chiang believes care for every patient should be individualized and all treatment options considered when making surgical decisions.
Find more information about Ascension Wisconsin Weight Management – Bariatrics here.
Photo from left to right, Matt Springer, surgical assistant, Dr. Manfred Chiang, surgeon, Erica Baldassari, RN
