West Hills Hospital & Medical Center’s own David Schreier, MD, FACS, is performing specialized surgery for gallbladder removal that is less invasive than current emerging technology utilizing robotic technology. The surgery is a single‐site laparoscopic procedure, one that Dr. Schreier and his partner, Frank Candela, MD, FACS, have now performed on over 35 cases since receiving the necessary equipment in November 2011.
Laparo‐Endoscopic Single‐Site surgery (LESS) is a relatively new procedure that allows for a smaller incision, decreased risk of wound infection, less or no visible scarring, less pain and less risk of hernia. The procedure is done with a single port through the bellybutton, creating only a 1/2‐inch incision. A traditional laparoscopic operation requires 3‐4 incisions. Current robotic techniques can utilize a single incision that is at least twice the length, thereby increasing the risk of hernia and resulting in a less favorable cosmetic result.
Alternative systems can be more costly and may require longer operating time. The LESS procedure requires only the surgeon’s skill and the Olympus Endoeye FLEX 5 video laparoscope for visibility. “The Endoeye allows us to look inside the abdomen and can flex up to 100 degrees in four directions so we get tremendous exposure through a single port,” Dr. Schreier says. “It really is a more efficient way to perform the operation, and more beneficial for the patient.”
LESS technology will also be used for colon surgery (removal of part or all of the colon due to cancer or diverticulitis) in
the near future, and has been used for hysterectomies at West Hills Hospital.
About Dr. Schreier
Dr. David Schreier joined with Dr. Frank Candela in 1999 and has been a member of the medical staff at West Hills Hospital & Medical Center since then. He recently completed two consecutive 2‐year terms as Chief of Surgery for West Hills Hospital. Dr. Schreier is a Diplomat of the American Board of Surgery, and is a Fellow of American College Surgeons. He completed an oncology fellowship at Los Angeles County ‐ USC Medical Center, where he also completed his residency.
About West Hills Hospital & Medical Center
West Hills Hospital & Medical Center is a full‐service acute care facility located in West Hills, CA, in the western San Fernando Valley. The 225‐bed facility recently completed an $80‐million expansion that includes a new Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Outpatient Services, Cardiac Catheterization Labs, The Grossman Burn Center and facility renovations. HealthGrades has announced that West Hills Hospital has received the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for 2011 & 2012, the Clinical Excellence Award for Critical Care for 2012, as well as being in the Top 100 Hospitals nation‐wide for Gastrointestinal and General Surgery. West Hills Hospital was the first Accredited Chest Pain Center in Los Angeles County, and also recently received a Certificate of Distinction as a Primary Stroke Center from the Joint Commission. Additionally, West Hills Hospital was awarded Center of Excellence status from Medicare for our Bariatric Surgery program. For more information: www.WestHillsHospital.com
