Westchester County Surgery Team Performs Region’s First Robot-Assisted Splenectomy at Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital announced today that Dr. Jerald Wishner led a New York hospital medical team that became the first in the Hudson Valley Region to perform a robot-assisted splenectomy.  Dr. Wishner used a da Vinci Robotic Surgical System with high-definition 3D imaging to complete this highly delicate procedure performed at NWH in Westchester County.  This advanced visualization system provided Dr. Wishner with a magnified view of the surgical area, thereby enabling him to successfully remove the patient’s spleen through three small incisions less than 1 inch in size.  The minimally invasive surgery (MIS) patient returned home the following day and was able to return to many normal activities in less than one week.

“Advanced robotic technology is enabling surgeons to perform sophisticated laparoscopic surgery procedures that require less time in the hospital, offer shorter recoveries, and result in less pain for patients,” stated Jerald D. Wishner, MD, Co-Director of the Institute for Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery at Northern Westchester Hospital.  “In many cases, splenectomy surgery patients are able to return home the following day and quickly resume many daily activities.”

Dr. Wishner is one of a small group of surgeons in Westchester County in New York and in the U.S. who has received specialized training and certification to perform advanced robotic surgery, such as a splenectomy and other minimally invasive surgery procedures.  This approach to minimally invasive, laparoscopic surgery results in minimal scarring, less pain, less blood loss, and in many cases a faster recovery. 

Laparoscopic surgeons at Northern Westchester Hospital perform robot-assisted gynecological procedures such as hysterectomy; urologic procedures, such as prostatectomy; and general surgery procedures, such as single-incision cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), splenectomy (spleen removal), adrenalectomy (adrenal gland removal), and colorectal surgeries.

About Jerald D. Wishner, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Jerald Wishner, MD is the co-director for The Institute for Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery and the medical director for the Colorectal Surgery Program at Northern Westchester Hospital in Westchester County.  Dr. Wishner is Fellowship trained in both colorectal and minimally invasive surgery, has received advanced training in robot-assisted surgery, and has been designated as a trainer for robot-assisted General and Colorectal surgery by Intuitive Surgical.

Dr. Wishner performs minimally invasive surgeries, such as advanced colon resections, using robot-assisted surgery for both benign and malignant disease and is one of the first laparoscopic surgeons in Westchester County and the U.S. to conduct single incision robot-assisted gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy).  He has published numerous articles in the field of general surgery and helped develop minimally invasive surgical techniques for a variety of procedures including colon resection for benign and malignant disease, gallbladder removal, anti-reflux surgery for hiatal hernias and chronic heartburn, hernia surgery, pancreatic and splenic surgery. 

About Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity and excellence in New York robotic surgery. More than 700 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place at NWH in Westchester County to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment.

NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA). Our New York surgeons uphold high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best among Westchester County hospitals and  the nation for minimally invasive surgery. For a complete list of our services, please visit www.nwhc.net.