The goal of the CRSA is to “create a global network focused on setting standards for education, training, and clinical operations for general robotic surgery.” In his new position, Dr. Yieng oversees the activities of the CRSA's regional chapters in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America, and he coordinates collaborative efforts between these chapters and other medical societies.    

“It is an honor to direct the international chapters and to bring together experts from all over the world to further our mission of expanding clinical innovations in robotic surgery and for training the next generation of surgeons to use this technology,” says Dr. Yieng, who is also director of Valley’s Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery.  “Robotic surgery has revolutionized procedures in abdominal, thoracic, cardiac, gynecologic, colorectal, ENT, urologic, and transplant surgery. We must ensure that high-quality standards are utilized as applications for using the surgical robot increase.”

Over the past month, Dr. Yieng has presented his research and/or trained other surgeons at the following:

At the Fifth Annual World Robotic General Surgery Symposium in Orlando, Florida, he served on the faculty and:

discussed his approach and the advantages of using a surgical robot to perform the technically demanding Whipple procedure to treat cancers of the gastrointestinal system; presented robotic applications to perform difficult palliative procedures for patients with incurable gastrointestinal cancers, which in the past were performed with large incisions; and presented unusual robotic cases.

At an international robotic surgery course offered at the Virgen del Rocio University Hospital in Seville, Spain, he presented:

• “Robotic Surgery: Current Status and Applications in General Surgery”;
• “Robotic-assisted Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery: Technical Aspects”; and
• “Distal Pancreatectomy with Splenic Preservation Robotic-assisted Surgery.”

At The Valley Hospital, Dr. Yieng specializes in using the robotic daVinci™ surgical system to perform minimally invasive surgical procedures for patients with gastrointestinal cancers. He has performed more than 400 complex robotic procedures at Valley, including about 25 Whipple procedures each year.

Robotic surgery takes minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery a step further. During robotic procedures, Dr. Yieng sits at a console near the patient in the operating room, through which magnified high-resolution views of the surgical area are projected. By slipping his hands into special gloves and using a joystick instrument, Dr. Yieng controls the movements of the robot’s “arms” as they operate through several small incisions made in the patient’s abdomen. The robot offers precise suturing, steadier “hand” movements, and superb visualization of the surgical field for the surgeon. As with all minimally invasive surgical procedures, patients experience less pain and bleeding, there is a reduced risk of infection or other complications, and they leave the hospital quicker and recuperate faster than patients who undergo traditional “open” surgeries with large incisions.

For more information about The Valley Hospital’s surgical oncology services or robotic surgery, visit www.valleyhealth.com.