Surgery robot hired with DeKalb Medical donation

DeKalb Medical has obtained a $1.6 million surgery robot, thanks to a $3.3 million donation.

The robot will be used for numerous types of surgery but most often for gynecologic cancer surgery. The da Vinci robot allows for a less invasive, less painful procedure with reduced recovery time, hospital officials said.

For example, traditional surgery on a gynecological cancer patient will involve a long incision, four to six days of hospitalization, and six to eight weeks of recovery, officials said. The robot makes smaller incisions, and the surgery requires only overnight hospitalization and two to three weeks of recovery.

The $3.3 million donation was made by Dr. Bobbie Bailey, and the remainder of the money will help pay for facility improvements, expansion of the cancer endowment and the diabetes education program, purchase of a mobile health clinic and support for the clinic that serves uninsured people.