Dr. Fowler Performs First SILS Cholecystectomy at Castle Medical Center
Most people think that Castle Medical Center is a just a slow moving mom and pop community hospital. Well it is a smaller hospital, but thanks to Dr. Steven Fowler it’s not slow moving! Dr. Fowler has done over 1,000 bariatric surgery cases since 2006, and has the same innovative operating room technology as the other big hospitals on the island.
July 10, 2013 Dr. Fowler did the first Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) at Castle Medical Center. Dr. Fowler performed this surgery on a patient who had had a prior SILS Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. Dr. Fowler wanted to also do his cholecystectomy through the belly button, so the patient had no new scars.
Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a newer way of performing surgical procedures and not many surgeons on island do it. Single incision surgery is exactly what it states, i.e. the surgeon is making one incision through which the camera and instruments are passed to gain access to the abdominal cavity.
Typically, the single incision is made in the belly button crease. The advantage of SILS surgery is cosmetic with possible decreased postoperative pain. With the advancement of technology which allows this to be done safely, this type of surgery is starting to become more popular. Dr Fowler performed the first SILS LapBand in Hawaii in 2009, and also the first SILS Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy in Hawaii in 2011.