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Robotic-Assisted Surgery Stories

Dickie Hill portrait

Dickie, robotic-assisted surgery patient

Dickie is an avid skier. And, he has a collection of lift tickets to prove it. He loves that his home in the Tri-Cities area is just a short 45-minute drive to the slopes. But a post-ski flare-up of diverticulitis had him feeling some of the worst pain he'd ever felt. He turned to Surgical Associates of Kingsport, where he learned he needed a colon resection. He was nervous about surgery, but he trusted his doctor. He had surgery at Holston Valley Medical Center where she used the da Vinci robot, a less invasive surgical system that significantly reduced Dickie's pain and recovery time. It also meant Dickie wouldn't be out of his skis for long.

Read the rest of Dickie's story.