Robotic Surgery for Colon and Rectal Conditions

Minimally invasive surgery continues to evolve as the standard of care for numerous colon and rectal diseases, due to smaller incisions, less postoperative pain and faster recovery times. Despite the proven benefit to minimally invasive approaches, approximately 50% of colon surgery remains performed in a traditional open fashion across the United States. At Newton-Wellesley Hospital, our specially trained robotic colon and rectal surgeons are at the forefront of minimally invasive management of benign and malignant disease.  Our surgeons manage a variety of disorders with a mastered robotic surgical approach for which their patients experience the fastest recovery times possible, with expedited return to normal daily activities.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital Robotic Surgery Program is one of the few establishments to offer robotic colon and rectal surgery not just in Massachusetts, but in the entire country. Surgeons from around the United States travel here to observe and learn how to perform robotic surgery for complex colon and rectal disorders.

Our Team

• Todd Francone, MD
• Robert Goldstone, MD

Make an appointment

•  (617) 219-1285.

Benign and Malignant Conditions Treated

• Rectal cancer
• Colon cancer
• Sphincter-sparing surgery
• Colostomy closure
• Colovesical fistulas
• Crohn’s Disease
• Diverticulitis
• Parastomal hernia
• Rectal prolapse
• Retrorectal tumors
• Ulcerative colitis

Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery 

Robotic Colon and Rectal Cancer Surgery

Our colon and rectal surgeons perform several different robotic surgical procedures in people with both early and advanced stages of colon and rectal cancer. We employ a multidisciplinary team approach with the gastroenterologists, pathologist, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologist to address each tumor with the most advanced and appropriate therapy. As national leaders in a range of robotic-assisted surgeries, NWH is one of a select few institutions to offer colon or rectal resections with intracorporeal anastomoses (intra-abdominal resection and reconnection of the bowel). The tumors may also be removed through the anus as opposed to creating a large abdominal incision which significantly reduces postoperative pain and eliminates the risk of wound infection or hernia formation. These improvements have reduced postoperative hospital stay to as low as 1 or 2 days for most patients.

Robotic Surgery for Benign Digestive Disease

Our colon and rectal surgeons perform minimally invasive robotic surgery for a vast array of benign digestive disease conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease, to diverticulitis, to rectal prolapse. Although at least half of these operations are performed in the traditional “open” fashion throughout the United States, at NWH our surgeons complete nearly all these operations in a minimally invasive fashion. These patients recover rapidly with fewer complications and shorter lengths of stay. The nature in which the incisions are made has nearly eliminated the risk of postoperative wound infection or hernia formation. If there is a possibility for a minimally invasive approach, these surgeons will pursue it.