For the first time, a robot has performed a double lung transplant in the United States. This type of operation allows smaller incisions and results in faster recovery, reports BFMTV.
A real breath of fresh air for Cheryl Mehrkar. The 57-year-old American patient benefited from a double lung transplant to remedy her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which had been causing her to suffer for more than ten years. After a COVID-19 infection, Cheryl's condition s It has gotten worse in recent years, reports BFMTV.
“The 85 year old security guard climbed the stairs better than me. (…) I knew it wasn't a good sign“, she told Reuters. For this professional paramedic, a double lung transplant was her only hope of being able to breathe normally again. On the waiting list, Cheryl was preparing for a long wait of several months. However, just five days later, she received a call that gave her a second wind.
A fully robotic operation
Supported by a team of surgeons, a robot carried out the operation. He made the incision before removing the defective lungs and implanting the new organs. “During a normal transplant, you either have a very large incision on each side of your chest, or a very large one in the middle where your sternum is broken.“, explains Dr. Stephanie H. Chang.
This robotic operation allows for a much smaller incision. So, instead of a 20 cm incision, the robot can reduce the size of the incisions to 5 cm. The body therefore takes less time to heal and the hospitalization time is also reduced. Still recovering, the patient who benefited from this double lung transplant can already walk again. “When I walk around, I don't need oxygen and I can breathe. (…) It's incredible“, she rejoices.
published on November 23 at 2:58 p.m., Arnaud Enjourbault, 6Medias
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