Dr. Sam Atallah Selected for Study with New Robot in Emerging Field of Endoluminal Surgery 

Oct 06, 2020 at 09:03 pm by pj

Dr. Atallah at the controls during new robotic procedure.

 

 

 With expansions, new physicians and new locations -- Digestive and Liver Center of Florida will not be slowing down anytime soon. Colorectal Surgeon Sam Atallah, MD has been selected as principle investigator for a pivitol study centered toward the field of endoluminal surgery. Dr. Atallah is known for his pioneering work with robotic transanal surgery and TAMIS -- the latter now endorsed by NCCN guidelines as an accepted mode of surgical cure for select, early stage rectal cancer.  

On October 2nd, 2020 Dr. Sam Atallah performed the first endo-luminal, fully robotic operation in North America to remove a precancerous growth from the lower intestinal tract.  The operation was performed at the Endo-Surgical Center of Florida, which is one of only three sites nationwide that have been chosen for the FDA-approved trial.  The other two sites are the University of Texas (Houston, TX) and the University of Nevada. The study is being conducted using a state-of-the-art robotic system (ColubrisMx, Inc., Houston, TX) specifically designed to carry out operations within the intestinal tract.   

“This system allows surgeons to remove certain precancerous growths within the large bowel without having to resort to radical surgery, which reflects a major step forward for patient care,” said Atallah. He goes on to say, “conventional techniques allow us to remove growths in the rectum, but not further up in the colon. This endo-luminal robotic system, because of its non-linear design, could change that.” The trial is expected to last several months, and is actively enrolling patients. 

Dr. Atallah is among the most well-known colorectal surgeons in the world. He moved to Orlando in 2007 after completing training at Houston's Texas Medical Center with Surgical Oncology training at MD Anderson Cancer Center where his training had earned him double-board certification in General Surgery and Colorectal Surgery. Dr. Atallah performed the world's first TAMIS operation in Winter Park, FL on June 30, 2009. This created a new approach to treating rectal cancers and polyps, that is now being practiced in more than 50 countries. Dr. Atallah pioneered robotic transanal surgery and was the first in the world to perform this technique using the da Vinci Surgical System. He is one of the leaders in advanced technology for rectal cancer surgery and has developed the technique of stereotactic navigation for transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) — an important step forward in the evolution of computer-assisted surgery.  

For more information on the practice or to schedule an appointment with Sam Atallah, MD, please contact (407) 384-7388. 

Digestive and Liver Center of Florida is a independently owned and operated medical company. With seven Gastroenterolgist and three Colorectal Surgeons, they create a team of excellence. Digestive and Liver Center of Florida was founded in 2005. Treating digestive problems across the board - there is no better place to come to other than Digestive and Liver Center of Florida.  

Along with their current medical office, Digestive and Liver Center of Florida also has an in-house Endo-Surgical Center and operating room.  

The Physicians of the Endo Surgical Center of Florida, LLC welcome you to the Endoscopy Center in East Orlando, a free-standing ambulatory center in the state specializing in endoscopy, offering patients a convenient, yet sophisticated alternative to the hospital. The center's location on Dean Road was carefully chosen for its surroundings; safe and free parking and easy access to Rt. 408 and Rt. 417. 

The physician staff is comprised of board-certified Gastroenterologists who have served in Orlando and trained from highly regarded universities: Yale University School of Medicine and Medical College of Virginia. The subspecialties offered within the group provide a broad range of expertise in the gastrointestinal field. We believe that our team of physicians and nurses are second to none. 

 

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