Washington University weight loss surgeon Francesca Dimou, MD, MS, has been instrumental in expanding robotic bariatric surgery options that change the lives of countless patients.
This March, she celebrated the completion of her 500th robotic surgery. This milestone is not only a significant personal accomplishment, but a testament to Dimou’s dedication to the field. Very few programs across the nation offer the robotic approach to bariatric surgery, and Dimou was key in bringing this technique to Washington University. Since then, she been perfecting the method to provide better care to more patients.
“Weight loss surgery provides a new life to many of my patients,” Dimou says. “I am able to help them achieve goals they otherwise couldn’t. With robotic surgery gaining momentum in the bariatric world, this allows us to be on the forefront of technology offering more complex procedures to help patients who may not have been given the opportunity to changes their lives.”
Dimou has had a lifelong interest in medicine, and during her fellowship at Cornell University she discovered her interest in minimally invasive surgery. She has been honing these skills ever since, and her 500th procedure marks exciting things on the horizon both for Dimou and the field as a whole.
Robotic surgery has been rapidly expanding in recent years. In contrast to traditional open surgery, this approach has been shown to reduce pain and recovery times and has massive potential in improving patient outcomes as a whole. Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, can be an option for patients with obesity seeking to improve their overall health and lose weight after other methods, such as diet and exercise, have not worked. The robotic approach to bariatric surgery has a number of benefits for patients, combining the positives of smaller incisions from minimally invasive surgery with the life-changing results often seen as a result of undergoing bariatric surgery.
Dimou’s passions stem from her desire to transform the lives of her patients. In bringing her expertise and passion to Washington University, she has helped change the face of both bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at the School of Medicine.
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“As a young female surgeon, this accomplishment means a lot,” says Dimou. “There are only a small percentage of female bariatric surgeons and even less doing robotics. I hope through these accomplishments I am able to serve as a role model to other women surgeons who look to push the boundaries of surgery and technology. I look forward to not only impacting patient’s lives but future surgeons. I want to teach robotics and help young surgeons learn autonomy in the operating room while still providing excellent care to our patients.”
The Department of Surgery congratulates Dimou on this remarkable accomplishment and looks forward to what is to come.
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