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Robotic Whipple Leverages Robotics for More Precise Pancreatic Tumor Removal

October 07, 2024

Imran Siddiqui, MD
Imran Siddiqui, MD

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple), one of the most advanced hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgical options for treating pancreatic cancer, is now available at Orlando Health Cancer Institute. This technique enables surgeons to approach all removable pancreatic tumors robotically, including cancers, neuroendocrine tumors, pancreatic cysts and precancerous cystic neoplasms.

“After removing critical structures during a multi-step Whipple, robotics allows us to do our anastomosis and reconstruction of the anatomy with very fine suturing,” says Imran Siddiqui, MD, chief of hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgery at Orlando Health Cancer Institute. “It’s as intricate and exacting as a traditional, open Whipple. But using robotics offers us more precision with better visualization, less blood loss and pain, a shorter hospital stay and better postoperative quality of life for our patients.”

An internationally respected surgical oncologist, Dr. Siddiqui is one of the few surgeons in the country trained to perform complex robotic HPB surgeries, including the highly precise robotic Whipple. During his fellowship, Dr. Siddiqui trained with one of the pioneers in robotic HPB techniques, participating in almost 200 robotic cases, including robotic Whipples; pancreas, distal pancreas and central pancreas surgeries; and liver, bile duct and duodenal resections. Since 2017, the clinical expert has performed several hundred complex robotic procedures of which nearly 100 are robotic pancreatic surgeries, including robotic Whipple surgery. Dr. Siddiqui has published and lectured extensively around the globe.

A high-volume, comprehensive robotic center of excellence, Orlando Health is the only Florida center exclusively performing robotic Whipples, in addition to other robotic liver and pancreas surgeries.

“High-frequency, robotic Whipple surgery is done by only a select few of us nationwide because the learning curve is quite steep,” says Dr. Siddiqui, who joined the institute in January 2024 to establish the new comprehensive HPB surgical program. “We're on the leading edge of HPB robotics and are accessible to referring colleagues who can reach out to me directly to help their patients as quickly as possible.”

Orlando Health Cancer Institute is recognized nationally for its novel therapies and research to improve patient outcomes and access to care. The institute’s internationally recognized specialists offer the latest in diagnostic and treatment options for the most advanced forms of all cancers.

 

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