LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Surgeons at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital have successfully completed a kidney transplant using robotic technology, marking a first for a region that includes Kentucky, Southern Ohio, West Virginia and Tennessee.
Transplant surgeon Dr. Matthew Black performed the procedure and said his patient is recovering well.
"The robot has opened up things and allowed us to operate on patients we previously wouldn't be able to that maybe were too sick, or we were worried about," Black said.
Black trained for robotic surgery during medical school and said he always expected it would become part of his practice.
"The robot is an extension of my hands," he said. "When I was in training, I saw the other surgeons were using it, saw it didn't hurt patients, there's lots of studies showing good results. So, I had faith and data that this is safe for patients and good," he continued.
During the procedure, Black sits at a console operating the robot's multiple arms while his voice is broadcast over a speaker so the surgical team can hear his instructions.
The robotic approach offers several advantages for patients, including those dealing with obesity, and Black said the benefits extend beyond transplant cases.
"We have a portion of our practice that isn't just transplant patients that I use the robot on, because everyone can benefit from the smaller incisions, the faster recovery time, things like that," he explained.
Black said he does not expect artificial intelligence to significantly interfere with robotic surgery as the technology advances, though he acknowledged there may be some element of that eventually. He said he is grateful to be working at the forefront of the field.
"Medicine is changing by the day; it's an awesome experience to be a part of."
