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Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Performs Historic First Single-Port Robotic Surgery

Image of U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Brandon R. Garren, the service chief of the Department of Urology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, poses for a photo in the operating room. The center recently implemented a single-port robotic surgical system. (Photo: Ricardo Reyes-Guevara, Department of Defense). . U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Brandon R. Garren, the service chief of the Department of Urology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, poses for a photo in the operating room. The center recently implemented a single-port robotic surgical system. (Photo: Ricardo Reyes-Guevara, Department of Defense).

Walter Reed unveiled its new single-port robotic surgical system, becoming the first Department of Defense facility, and the first military hospital in the National Capital Region, to use the newly FDA-approved medical device.

“This is one of the most transformative technological advances across disciplines right now, reshaping how we approach surgical disease,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. (Dr.) Brandon R. Garren, who with his team today, performed a minimally invasive surgery on a patient with an enlarged prostate. Garren, the service chief of the Department of Urology at Walter Reed, worked with a multidisciplinary team that trained for months to perform today’s milestone surgery.

During the groundbreaking procedure, Garren utilized a console with hand and foot controls to command the robots, while a second surgeon stood by to supervise the way the surgical instruments worked. Garren controlled the robot's motions, adjusting its precision with his hand and foot gestures, while a series of robotic arms picked up and manipulated the surgical instruments.

Robotic surgery has exponentially improved outcomes for patients: minimizing scarring, improving recovery times and post-operative pain – as well as reducing hospital stays. The technology has wide-ranging applications for a variety of surgical procedures including coronary artery bypass, joint replacement, organ transplantation, gynecological operations, and cancer treatments.

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Walter Reed Doctors Credited with Saving the Life of a Gym Patron

From left, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Director, U.S. Navy Capt. (Dr.) Melissa C. Austin, recognizes Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) John Symons and Army Maj. (Dr.) John Schacht, Walter Reed doctors credited with saving the life of a heart attack victim at a local off-base gym on Feb. 25.

It’s not uncommon to hear about Walter Reed physicians saving lives within the walls of the iconic medical center, but it proved fortunate for one local gym patron suffering from a heart attack that two doctors from “the flagship of military medicine” were also getting in a workout at the same off-base facility on Feb. 25.

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Mar 14, 2024

Spray Foam Cast Developed by U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command Adopted for Rehabilitation Exoskeleton

A prototype SUPORT Self Evacuation Splint is tested with a burdened patient load equivalent to 75 pounds of armor and a weighted pack.  (Photo by Paul Lagasse/Medical Research and Command)

A method for rapidly splinting injured limbs developed with the assistance of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command is being incorporated into the next generation of exoskeletons. This new method aims to help injured warfighters regain their mobility and recover more quickly from their injuries.

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Mar 4, 2024

Walter Reed Salutes Capt. Carlos Williams’ Leadership During Black History Month

Carlos William graduated with honors from Albany State University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry before earning his medical degree from the Morehouse School of Medicine. He later earned graduate degrees in public health and business administration from Johns Hopkins University.

When you meet U.S. Navy Capt. Carlos Williams, director of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, you’ll likely notice that he embodies the Navy’s core values of initiative, accountability, integrity and toughness.

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Military Medical Research Milestones

Military Medical Research Milestones

American military medicine has been the cornerstone of medical accomplishments since the founding of the United States. The efforts and innovations of the military medical research community has advanced the treatments, logistics, procedures, and medications often taken for granted in today’s civilian medical settings. From emergency response to ...

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Allergy/Immunology Fellows from Walter Reed Come Out on Top in FIT Bowl

Army Capts. (Drs.) Andrew Weskamp and Jeremy McMurray, from the National Capital Consortium (NCC) Allergy and Immunology Fellowship program, finished first in the competition among fellows-in-training (FIT) held in Anaheim, California on Nov. 11. The NCC includes graduate medical education (GME) programs at Walter Reed, Uniformed Services University, Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and other military health-care training program in the region.

The FIT Bowl is one the most anticipated events every year during the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting. During the most recent bowl, which celebrated its 32nd anniversary, fellows from Walter Reed walked away with the first-place trophy in the fast-paced, fun “College Bowl” style game contested before a live ...

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Last Updated: August 23, 2023
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