{"id":7873,"date":"2025-05-22T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7873"},"modified":"2025-05-22T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T14:30:00","slug":"two-procedures-one-surgical-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7873","title":{"rendered":"Two procedures, one surgical session"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-05-22T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Veteran George Ridlehoover needed two different surgical procedures\u2014prostate removal and hernia repair. Thanks to advanced robotic surgery <\/a>at VA Charleston<\/a>, he only needed one session on the operating table.<\/p>\n

It was the first-ever combined robotic-assisted prostatectomy and hernia repair in the VA health care system and the first in any hospital in the Charleston, South Carolina, region.<\/p>\n

The operation was led by general surgeon Dr. Heather Evans and urologist Dr. Benjamin Stone, using advanced robotic technology that allowed both surgeries to be completed in one session under a single anesthesia.<\/p>\n

Ridlehoover was amazed at how quickly he was able to return home and resume his routine.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to get both surgeries done at once made a big difference,\u201d he said. \u201cThe recovery was smooth. I was up and walking the same evening, and they sent me home the next day. I never even needed pain medication. For me, it was the best way to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a significant milestone, as it demonstrates again that the VA can offer the most advanced, most current care to Veterans,\u201d said Evans, chief of surgery at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System.<\/p>\n

Performing the Procedure<\/h2>\n

Evans said the idea for the dual procedure came from observing successful cases in non-VA hospitals and recognizing that VA Charleston had the right team, experience and equipment to perform the dual procedure safely and efficiently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thrilled to offer this combined procedure,\u201d said Stone. \u201cSince we\u2019re working in the same area, recovery isn\u2019t significantly impacted, and we reduce the overall burden on the patient.\u201d<\/p>\n

The operation was a team effort from start to finish. Evans began by preparing the surgical field for hernia repair, allowing Stone to proceed with the prostatectomy. Once that was completed, Evans resumed and finalized the hernia repair using the same robotic setup.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis kind of collaboration isn\u2019t just about efficiency. It\u2019s about restoring Veterans to health faster with fewer disruptions to their lives,\u201d Evans said. \u201cCompared to a two-staged procedure, Veterans can go back to their usual activity much faster and with fewer complications.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis case is one example of the innovative, multidisciplinary care we\u2019re able to provide at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System,\u201d Stone said. \u201cIt reflects the strong communication among our teams and a shared commitment to delivering the best outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole team was outstanding,\u201d Ridlehoover added. \u201cFrom the surgeons to the people who brought my meals, everyone went out of their way to make sure I was comfortable and that my wife and kids were, too. If any Veteran is nervous about robotic surgery, I\u2019d tell them not to worry. I\u2019d do it again tomorrow without hesitation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Robot technology helps Charleston VA surgeons operate on Veteran in combined surgical procedure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nTwo procedures, one surgical session - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Robot technology helps Charleston VA surgeons operate on Veteran in combined surgical procedure.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7873\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Two procedures, one surgical session - 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