SGU Grad One of the First to Use New Robotic Surgery Device

A St. George’s University School of Medicine alum is making her mark as one of the first surgeons in the country to use a new advanced robotic system to treat her patients, including in emergency care.

Adventist Health Simi Valley Hospital, where Andrea Pakula, MD ’07, MPH ’03, serves as medical director of robotic surgery, is one of only 10 hospitals in the US chosen as a premier access site to receive the da Vinci 5 in its early release phase.

The da Vinci 5 is one of the newest and most advanced surgical robots in its field. Dr. Pakula is one of the first surgeons in the country to use the advanced system, according to a recent news article highlighting the da Vinci 5 and the benefits to patient care.

Dr. Pakula demonstrating using the da Vinci 5

Dr. Pakula demonstrating the da Vinci 5

At Adventist Health Simi Valley, Dr. Pakula is a general and acute care surgeon practicing in all aspects of general surgery including bariatric, foregut, and colon surgery with a passion for hernia repair. Board-certified in both general surgery and surgical critical care, she performs surgeries and procedures entirely with the Intuitive Surgical da Vinci Robotic platform, including in her emergency surgery practice.

The da Vinci 5 allows surgeons to operate with more precision and gives them the ability to perform complex operations through only a few small incisions. This makes for much faster recoveries and return to normal activity for patients without the need for pain medications, Dr. Pakula said.

“This has worked really well for my practice,” Dr. Pakula told Intuitive, the da Vinci 5’s manufacturer. “It’s allowed me to expand minimally invasive surgery to the patients that I see through the emergency room. We’re now able to do minimally invasive surgery any time of day or night, with the same level of care.”

In the same interview with Intuitive, Dr. Pakula said that this trend is important because it means that more surgical patients can be managed with an approach that may be less invasive, potentially contributing to fewer complications and shorter hospital stays, compared to open surgery.

Helping patients get back to their lives in the fastest, most painless way possible is Dr. Pakula’s goal and her favorite part of the job.

“I truly enjoy my patients and being able to take part in their care,” Dr. Pakula told SGU News.

An accomplished surgeon at the forefront of the field of robotic surgery, Dr. Pakula reflects on her drive and perseverance to reach where she is today. She credits SGU with helping set her on a path to success, which she capitalized on with her own determination.

“The education I received at SGU allowed me to get into one of the best fellowships in the country, and that drive has stayed with me and allowed me to excel in my career,” said Pakula.

– Juliette Kimmins

Related Reading