Personalized Care in Robotic Colon Surgery: Why Patients Choose Us

Colon surgery, no matter the type, is major surgery, so you want to be sure you have the best surgeon and facilities available for your care. The experienced team at Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, led by board-certified general surgeon Dr. John Bollins, fulfills both requirements. Here's how.

What is involved in colon surgery?

We always try to start with the most conservative, least invasive treatment options for colon conditions. However, if your symptoms don't improve, or if you have a life-threatening condition such as cancer, a major infection, or a bowel obstruction, surgery may become necessary.

At Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, we provide minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery for colon conditions like:

Precancerous polyps
Colon cancer
Diverticulosis
Diverticulitis
Recurrent gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding
Bowel obstruction
Ulcerative colitis
Crohn's disease

Colon surgery involves a resection, where the surgeon removes the diseased part of the colon and reconnects the two healthy ends or creates an opening in the skin to reroute waste. Colon resections have different names depending on the type of procedure and the area of the colon involved:

Polypectomy (removes polyps)
Colectomy (removes diseased part of the colon)
Sigmoidectomy (removes parts of the last section of the colon)
Colostomy or ileostomy (creates a new way for waste to leave your body)
Hemicolectomy (removes a larger segment of your colon)
Proctocolectomy (removes colon and rectum)

There are many other types of colon surgery, but these give you an idea of some of the major ones.

What is robotic-assisted surgery?

Robotic surgery involves advanced and proven technology to ensure you receive the most precise and effective surgical procedure possible.

Robotic surgery is performed as a minimally invasive procedure using the state-of-the-art da Vinci® system. Robots don't control these surgeries; they're robotic-assisted. That means Dr. Bollins controls the robotic arms that hold the instruments and is in full control. Some advantages include:

Sensitive finger controls

These allow Dr. Bollins to manipulate the robotic arms, which are smaller than human hands and can reach small spaces inside your body that hands can’t.

Extensive movement

The robotic arms have human-like wrists equipped with technology for fine movement and a range of motion superior to human hands.

Superior visualization

The da Vinci 3DHD visualization gives Dr. Bollins an exceptional view of your body and even highlights specific structures for him.

Personalized care

Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota is a private practice not affiliated with any hospital or other corporate entity. That means we're not beholden to anyone except our patients.

We follow you from your initial consultation through recovery, ensuring your medical, physical, and emotional needs are met. We also choose the best hospital for your procedure — one with a great track record for that surgery and provides the needed in-patient care until you're ready to go home.

It's a very patient-centered model, and we embrace the ability to get to know our patients better and consistently surpass their expectations for care.

If you have colon problems and need surgery, Advanced Associates of Northern Minnesota can help. Call our office in Hibbing, Duluth, or Ely, Minnesota, or book your appointment online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bollins.

We proudly accept Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, HealthPartners, Humana, UCare, Medica, and SecurityHealthPlan.