Kettering Health surgeons Andrew Lichter, MD, and James Parker, MD, recently elevated the level of care available to patients at Kettering Health Hamilton by performing the facility’s first extended totally extraperitoneal (eTEP) hernia repair. An advanced minimally invasive robotic hernia operation, eTEP is typically reserved for very large, complicated hernias. 

The eTEP procedure is one of the most complex hernia repairs, but it can be completed through four small holes rather than a large incision, providing several benefits over traditional hernia repair: hospital stays are shorter, with patients able to go home the same day; recovery is shorter; and pain and chances of infection are decreased. 

“Patients don’t have to stay in the hospital. People are in less pain and able to get back to their daily lives faster, and even get back to strenuous activity faster and more safely,” explained Dr. Parker. For patients that qualify and need this type of surgery, the eTEP will become the standard procedure at Kettering Health Hamilton. 

This advance in robotic surgery is another example of the innovative, high-quality care available to patients at Kettering Health Hamilton, which recently earned its eighth “Straight A” grade from the Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Grade.

“We’re really trying to push the frontiers of robot surgery,” added Dr. Lichter.