S. Duke Herrell, M.D., associate professor of Urologic Surgery at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, has performed the first robotic laparoscopic kidney cancer surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Bannar Rawlings, 30, was one of the first VUMC patients to undergo the new minimally invasive procedure. Her kidney cancer was detected by Vanderbilt radiologists during an MRI for a second back operation. “After having the back surgeries, I wanted my downtime to be as short as possible and I wanted the pain to be minimal,” Rawlings said. “It sounded like a good thing all around to me. It’s great as long as you have the right doctor and I think Dr. Herrell was the right doctor for the operation.”

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