McKee recognized for robotic surgery excellence

LOVELAND — Banner Health’s McKee Medical Center in Loveland has been recertified as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corp. 

The designation is based on volume, patient outcomes and the number of complex procedures offered within a program, according to information in a Banner press statement. 

“Robotic surgery offers a minimally invasive surgical option to many patients facing a surgical procedure. The  robotic approach offers the surgeon magnified, high-definition vision with the ability to control surgical instruments much like a human hand to see and access anatomy. This allows surgeons to operate using three to five incisions about ½-inch long,” according to the statement. 

McKee uses robotic surgery for hysterectomies, uterine prolapse, fibroids, gynecological cancer staging, hernia, colon and other general surgeries. 

The Surgical Review Corp. acknowledged gynecologic surgeon John Crane and general surgeon Thomas Blomquist as having a high level of expertise and mastery of robotics. Both were named Master Surgeon — surgeons who meet the corporation’s accreditation requirements and who are verified through an inspection. 

Crane helped start the robotics program in 2009 and has completed nearly 2,500 robotic surgeries. As a result, Boston Scientific named McKee a Center of Excellence for specific robotic pelvic surgeries. In addition,  Intuitive Surgical Inc. designated McKee as an Epicenter for Robotic Complex Surgery. Intuitive is the manufacturer of the da Vinci surgical robot.

Reviewers also named registered nurse Kathleen Miller a Care Specialist in Robotics for her work as a first assist during robotic surgeries.

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