Southwell offers hernia surgery using daVinci robot

Aug. 17—TIFTON — Dr. Andrew Nackashi at South Georgia Surgical currently offers ventral, hiatal and inguinal hernia surgeries using the daVinci robot.

"Hernia surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the country," Nackashi said. "About 1 in 10 Americans will have a hernia at some point in their lives, and the majority of people will need to have surgery to repair that hernia."

A hernia occurs when an organ or some other tissue pushes through a natural tissue into an area where it doesn't belong. They often create a noticeable lump that may be able to be pushed back in or may disappear when lying down. Hernias can be very painful and uncomfortable.

A type of hernia called hiatal hernia does not result in a visible bulge outside of the body, but it often results in symptoms like heartburn, indigestion, difficulty swallowing, frequent regurgitation and chest pain.

The daVinci robot is a device that assists doctors when performing a surgery, and there can be many benefits to a robotic assisted surgery.

"Surgeries we perform using the daVinci, including hernia surgeries, result in smaller incisions, less tissue damage and bleeding, and often have fewer complications," Nackashi said. "They often result in faster healing as well, which means you can get back to your normal routine much faster."

In addition to hernia surgeries, Nackashi also performs colon and gallbladder surgeries with the daVinci robot.

For more information, call South Georgia Surgical at (229) 382-9733.