Dr. Reza Gamagami Helping to Train Next Generation of da Vinci Robotic Surgeons

Following training 30 years ago with renowned minimally invasive surgery pioneer Sir Alfred Cuschieri in Dundee, Scotland, Dr. Reza Gamagami already had a reputation as a respected surgeon on staff at Silver Cross Hospital  in New Lenox. Then he  attended a conference on the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System in San Diego in 2012. 

So impressed was Dr. Gamagami with the possibilities, he convinced Silver Cross administrators that da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery was the future. Shortly afterwards, the Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital was born. 

Today the program at Silver Cross is among the busiest robotic surgery programs in the Midwest and features an array of surgical specialties – all with the goal of helping patients recover sooner with better outcomes. 

About Dr. Gamagami

An educator, proctor and a consultant for Intuitive Surgical (da Vinci robot) since 2012, Dr. Gamagami is currently ranked the highest-volume robotic general surgeon in Illinois. He has performed well over 4,400 da Vinci robotic cases and is currently ranked fifth in the United States. 

“With six da Vinci systems, Silver Cross has the highest percentage of da Vinci robotic systems per patient beds in the United States,” Dr. Gamagami added. 

“This means Silver Cross patients have more opportunities to have minimally invasive da Vinci robotic surgeries than anywhere else in the country,” he said. 

A Leader in da Vinci Robotics

More than 15,000 da Vinci robotic procedures have been performed at Silver Cross since 2012, Dr. Gamagami said. 

In 2012, 80 percent of the colon resections and hernia repairs at Silver Cross were done through open surgeries. Now, 90 percent are performed using da Vinci minimally invasive systems, allowing for less pain, faster recovery and reduced risk of complications. 

Nearly weekly, he and Dr. Nahla Merhi, a board-certified urogynecologist on staff at Silver Cross, specializing in female pelvic floor disorders who has performed more than 2,200 da Vinci robotic surgeries, will have a small group of surgeons interested in robotic technology visit them to observe their da Vinci robotic surgical procedures. 

Starting several years ago, Dr. Gamagami said they performed robotic surgeries for hundreds of surgeons who watched remotely during major conferences throughout the United States and the world. 

In November 2023, Dr. Gamagami was thrilled to be invited to visit India to share his experience with da Vinci Robotics for treating abdominal wall hernias, colorectal cancer, and gastrointestinal, pancreatic and heartburn disorders. 

He visited New Delhi and Bangalore, two major cities in India. Dr. Gamagami lectured to over 100 surgeons trained in da Vinci robotics and also participated and proctored future key opinion leaders in da Vinci robotic surgery. 

“These were some of the most senior, respected, talented surgeons of India,” he said. “We performed da Vinci robotic surgeries, provided lectures and training. That was a memorable visit. I also have been invited to South Korea in March to lecture on performing da Vinci robotic surgeries for hernias.” 

“It’s very exciting, because we are also training the next generation of younger surgeons in da Vinci robotics,” he added. 

Da Vinci Robotic System Provides Flexibility

So, what was it that Dr. Gamagami saw at that San Diego conference that convinced him da Vinci robotics was the future of surgery? 

“Using laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon gets only a regular two-dimensional picture of the procedure. Also, the instruments used are like ‘chopsticks,’ in that they cannot bend to provide more range of motion. 

“With da Vinci robotic surgery, the instruments can rotate to mimic the movements of the surgeon’s hands and fingers, (while) also giving a 3-D picture at 10 times the magnification,” he explained. 

Dr. Gamagami said his goal is to have Silver Cross become the number one hospital for da Vinci robotic surgeries in the United States, and he’d like to continue to advance his skills to achieve the best possible outcome for his patients in the community. 

“For the future generation of surgeons, the future technology is here now.” 

To learn more about robotic surgery at the Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital, visit silvercross.org