A St. Mary’s Medical Center women’s cancer specialist is using the da Vinci S Robotic System to treat different types of cancers through minimally invasive surgery.

 Kenneth Cofer, M.D., who is board-certified in obstetrics/gynecology and fellowship-trained in gynecologic oncology at the University of Southern California, said that he is using the latest in robotic technology for the staging and treatment of common women’s cancers including endometrial, ovarian and cervical.

 “With the robotic surgical system, I can perform complex procedures using just five small incisions and provide my patients with all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery,” Dr. Cofer said.  “These benefits may include reduced blood loss, less post-operative pain and discomfort, less risk of infection, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery and return to normal activities.

 “As this is the newest technology, I am working with my patients to determine when the robot can be of the greatest benefit in their treatment.  For example, it is only possible to stage endometrial cancer through surgery, which is important as the staging determines the treatment.  With the robotic surgical system, I can do this procedure in a minimally invasive environment,” Dr. Cofer said.

 Dr. Cofer stresses the importance of annual PAP smear, annual exam and controlling risk factors as the best way to protect yourself from cancer.  Some of the risk factors for gynecologic cancers include smoking, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

The da Vinci S Robotic System interprets and refines the surgeon’s hand movements, allowing for complex dissection or reconstruction in a minimally invasive environment.  This robotic technology is designed to scale, filter, and seamlessly translate the surgeons hand movements into the precise movements of the robotic arms and instruments.

Dr. Cofer can be reached at the East Tennessee Gynecology/Oncology office at 865-673-9250.  His office is located at 930 Emerald Ave., suite 615, in the Professional Office Building on the St. Mary’s campus.
To help women and their families find quality, seamless, integrated healthcare, Mercy has now launched a new program, Wellnesse for Women.

By calling one toll-free number, 1-877-599-WELL, callers needing assistance with health-resource related questions are connected with a Mercy Wellnesse Nurse Navigator, who will provide information, schedule appointments when necessary and work closely with all parties - - physicians, community providers and consumers - - and, in a short phone call, can help patients accomplish what might have taken weeks to pull together.

St. Mary’s Medical Center is a member of Mercy Health Partners.  Mercy was formed by the merger of St. Mary’s Health System and Baptist Health System of East Tennessee in 2008.  The new healthcare system operates seven acute-care hospitals and many other healthcare facilities across East Tennessee.  More than 1,000 of the area’s leading physicians are on the medical staffs at Mercy facilities.  One of East Tennessee’s largest employers, Mercy has 5,700 associates dedicated to providing compassionate care using the latest medical technology.

For physician referral and service information at any Mercy facility, another good source of information is the Ask Mercy phone line at 632-5200 (toll-free at 877-368-7362).  A complete list of Mercy physicians, facilities, services and extensive health information is available online at www.mercy.com.
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