Health
Coney Island Hospital acquires stateof
the-art robotic surgery system
BY JESSICA PARKS
Coney Island Hospital received
$2.6 million in city
funding to acquire a state-ofthe
art robotic surgical system
that will minimize the invasiveness
of a wide range of
operations.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/
Coney Island aims to deliver
the state-of-the-art clinical
care to the residents of South
Brooklyn and beyond,” said
the hospital’s chief executive
offi ce Svetlana Lipyanskaya.
“The ability to provide robotic
surgery will transform
our patients’ experience with
improved surgical outcomes,
quicker patient recovery, and
fewer complications.
The Da Vinci robotic-assisted
surgery system extends
a surgeon’s control during
laparoscopic surgeries allowing
them to work in smaller,
more precise movements resulting
in less blood loss,
shorter recovery times and
smaller incisions, according
to the hospital’s administration.
COURIER L 30 IFE, NOV. 6-12, 2020
“We are very excited to be
able to offer minimally invasive
robotic surgery to our
patients right here in South
Brooklyn,” said Dr. Abdo
Kabaritti, the hospital’s chief
of urology. “The ability to offer
robotic surgery is a gamechanger
for our patients who
stand to benefi t from this
state-of-the-art technology,
through smaller incisions,
a decrease in blood loss and
transfusions, less postoperative
pain, smaller scars, and
a quicker recovery to normal
activities.”
Local Councilman Mark
Treyger advocated for funneling
the city funds to the
hospital’s purchase, with
support from City Council
Speaker Corey Johnson —
and he said the investment
The surgical team at Coney Island Hospital. Photo courtesy of NYC Health + Hospitals
may help retain young talent
at the southern Brooklyn hospital.
“The latest signifi cant capital
investment I secured for
state-of-the-art robotic surgical
equipment for NYC Health
+ Hospitals/Coney Island will
expand on the critical services
they provide every patient
that they serve, and builds
upon a greater vision for the
hospital and our community,”
Treyger said. “Additionally,
hospital leadership strongly
believes this investment will
help attract and keep top medical
talent for the hospital to
provide excellent quality care
for Southern Brooklyn residents.”
The new technology will be
put to good use right away, according
to hospital administrators,
who said it is expected
to assist in 300 surgeries in its
fi rst year.
s chief of thoracic surgery
at NewYork-Presbyterian
Brooklyn
Methodist Hospital, Sebron
Harrison, MD, works with
a multidisciplinary team to
identify and treat lung cancer
during its earliest stages. Test
your knowledge about this
critical condition.
Which of the following
symptoms are warning
signs of lung cancer?
a. Coughing up blood
b. Hoarseness
c. Chest pain
d. All of the above
Answer: d. Lung cancer
typically causes symptoms
during later stages, but individuals
with early stages of
the disease may notice warning
signs. To screen for cancer
at an early stage, when
treatment may lead to better
outcomes, talk with your doctor
about your risk factors
and screening options.
“Because lung cancer is
so deadly, patients should
never wait for warning signs.
Instead, at-risk individuals
should be thinking about
lung health at every stage of
the game,” Dr. Harrison says.
“Unfortunately, about 40 percent
of patients are not diagnosed
until the cancer is already
stage IV, and at that
late stage, fewer treatment
options will be effective.”
What is the leading
cause of lung cancer?
a. Asbestos exposure
b. Family history
c. Secondhand smoke
d. Smoking
Answer: d. According to
the American Lung Association,
active smoking causes
nearly 90 percent of lung cancers.
But the likelihood of the
disease may also be increased
by factors like family history
and exposure to harmful
chemicals in the air.
What is usually the first
treatment for early lung
cancer?
a. Chemotherapy
b. Radiation
c. Surgery
d. All of the above
Answer: c. Surgical resection
is typically the first line
of defense against early lung
cancer. Once the disease has
progressed, doctors may recommend
chemotherapy, radiation
and additional surgery.
Fact or fiction: If you
have a clear chest x-ray,
you don’t need to be concerned
about lung cancer.
Answer: Fiction. Other
tests may be needed to identify
lung cancer during various
stages of the disease.
“Multiple studies have
shown that a chest x-ray is
not an appropriate screening
method,” Dr. Harrison says.
“A high-risk person should
also have a computed tomography
scan of the chest.”
True or false: If you’ve
never smoked, there’s no
chance that you will develop
lung cancer.
“Roughly 15 percent of all
patients diagnosed with lung
cancer have never smoked
and have no other identifiable
risk factors,” Dr. Harrison
says. “If you experience
symptoms, it is never too
early to see a doctor and discuss
risks and options for diagnosis.”
NewYork-Presbyterian
Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
offers free lung cancer
screenings through the Fred
L. Mazzilli Lung Cancer
Screening Program.
The Program is designed
for people between the ages of
55 and 74 who smoke or have
smoked in the past and have a
history of 30 pack years. This
is equivalent to smoking one
pack daily for 30 years, two
packs a day for 15 years, three
packs a day for ten years, etc.
These people are at the highest
risk for developing lung
cancer.
Call 718.780.LUNG to learn
more about the Program.