New Program Offers Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery for Patients with Gastric Cancer
Massachusetts General Hospital is expanding patient access to opportunities for minimally invasive procedures targeting gastric cancers.
Our surgeons are leading providers of minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat a variety of conditions.
At Massachusetts General Hospital, minimally invasive surgery is a standard of care and our preferred surgical approach to treat a wide range of conditions.
Performing a high volume of surgical procedures each year, surgeons in Mass General’s Division of Gastrointestinal & Oncologic Surgery are leading providers of minimally invasive surgical techniques—also called laparoscopic surgery—to treat metabolic, gastrointestinal, pancreatic and other conditions.
Using high-definition imaging technology and precision instruments, our surgeons work through a few tiny incisions to perform thousands of these procedures each year. This high-volume experience means better outcomes for patients and helps our surgeons lead new innovations in the field and integrate these techniques into patient care.
Compared with traditional, or open, surgery, minimally invasive surgery generally involves:
Our surgeons are board-certified and Harvard Medical School-affiliated. They are highly experienced in performing minimally invasive procedures for complex cases ranging from those that do not require external incisions, to treating cancers of the stomach and the esophagus in a completely minimally invasive manner.
Our doctors are leaders in their field nationally, with many serving as presidents of several national societies such as the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, the American Pancreatic Association and the Society of University Surgeons.
As part of our approach to your care, our surgeons will recommend, whenever possible, the least invasive and most effective method to treat your condition, factoring in your health history, lifestyle and goals for treatment. Our division performs a number of minimally invasive procedures, including:
This is performed so that unnecessary surgery is prevented.
The left side of the pancreas is removed to treat cystic and endocrine tumors.
Liver mass (benign or cancerous) is safely and efficiently removed.
The muscle at the lower end of the esophagus is cut precisely to relieve difficulty swallowing (achalasia).
Used to rebuild the valve between the stomach and esophagus to stop gastroesophageal reflux (GERD).
Performed to rebuild the valve between the stomach and esophagus to stop GERD.
Used to repair hiatal hernias and paraesophageal hernias.
A portion of the stomach is removed to treat gastrointestinal stromal (GIST) tumors and small cancers of the stomach.
Including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, lap band and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
Removal of the adrenal gland to treat tumors of the adrenal gland.
Performed to remove the spleen to treat idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a blood disorder, splenic masses or cysts.
The laparoscopic removal of part or all of the large intestine for benign conditions such as diverticulitis and large polyps, as well as colorectal cancers.
Local excision of rectal tumors/cancer.
The division offers a Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship designed to help fellows develop technical proficiency in advanced laparoscopic surgery and advanced gastrointestinal procedures.
Mass General is recognized as a top hospital on the U.S. News Best Hospitals Honor Roll for 2024-2025.
Massachusetts General Hospital is expanding patient access to opportunities for minimally invasive procedures targeting gastric cancers.
Our surgeons are leading providers of minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat a variety of conditions.