--- title: "Milestone Robotic Surgery Makes Cancer ‘Uneventful’ for Union City Man | Sutter Health" description: "Gary Resurreccion was surprised to learn his procedure was the 50,000th robotic surgery performed at Sutter Health." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/milestone-robotic-surgery-makes-cancer-uneventful-for-union-city-man-2023563859" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Patient Stories](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) / 3. Milestone Robotic Surgery Makes Cancer ‘Uneventful’ for Union City Man # Milestone Robotic Surgery Makes Cancer ‘Uneventful’ for Union City Man Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento * * * 2023 Contributors: [Michael Beneke](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-michael-beneke-1046239417), [Blake Read](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-blake-m-read-1046246702) At age 52, telecommunications specialist Gary Resurreccion has seen the launch of innovations from smartphones to Siri. “But I didn’t anticipate my sixth decade of life would include one of the world’s most cutting-edge technologies: robotic surgery,” says Resurreccion. His surgeon, [Blake Read, M.D.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-blake-m-read-1046246702) , says he was equally surprised to learn the procedure was the 50,000th robotic surgery performed at Sutter Health. Dr. Read is among a cadre of specialists at Sutter skilled in using surgical robots. “Our organization is a recognized leader in robotic surgery, having performed 50,000 operations across multiple different service lines including gynecology, urology, general surgery and thoracic surgery,” says [Michael Beneke, M.D.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-michael-beneke-1046239417) , medical director of robotic surgery at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS). “Currently there are programs for the da Vinci Surgical System at 16 Sutter hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to assist surgeons in performing minimally invasive procedures.” Advances in robotic surgery have significantly accelerated since 1992, when the [first robotic surgery worldwide](https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/how-a-robot-made-medical-history-in-sacramento-30-years-ago/) to replace a man’s hip was performed at Sutter General Hospital – now known as SMCS. The procedure catalyzed a global trend toward more minimally invasive surgeries with robotics that continues today__.__ Resurreccion benefited from those advances after routine screening showed he had colorectal cancer. The location of Resurreccion’s tumor made it difficult to reach with traditional long-handled laparoscopic tools. So, Dr. Read used one of the latest generations of the da Vinci Surgical System to extend a camera and surgical instruments farther to remove the cancerous growth. “This combination allows for precise dissection in parts of the body that are often otherwise inaccessible,” says Dr. Read. “The robot gives us surgeons advanced, ‘wristed’ movements of the instruments in tight and narrow spaces, along with binocular 3D visualization so we can effectively and safely remove the tumor while preserving the surrounding healthy tissue. Better precision means quicker healing and, for health concerns like cancer, less likelihood of tumor recurrence.” Within one hour, and without any incisions on the outside of his patient’s body, Dr. Read had completed the procedure. “I went home the day after surgery feeling grateful that cancer was almost ‘uneventful’ for me,” says Resurreccion, who recovered without complications. He’s now back to work, play and time with his wife and three children. ## Discover similar stories Choose a service topic below to read more stories like this one. [Minimally invasive and robotic surgery](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories?verticalKey=patient_story&facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_services.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Minimally+invasive+and+robotic+surgery%22%5D%7D%5D) ## Advanced Surgery Made Easier With smaller incisions and enhanced precision, our team offers minimally invasive and robotic-assisted options designed for quicker healing. [Request a Referral](https://www.sutterhealth.org/referrals) ## Meet our care team ![Michael Beneke, M.D., FACS](http://a.mktgcdn.com/p/rjaOWoZKg3cTVDstVtA_Xh2YjJ9JvjskY1ZRIF_H0yQ/480x480.jpg) [Michael Beneke, M.D., FACS](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-michael-beneke-1046239417) Surgery Cancer Surgery ![Blake M. Read, M.D.](http://a.mktgcdn.com/p/al_BZzbr212neu54llYyxtxrdxRh1IqrEOJBR6VR21M/480x480.jpg) [Blake M. Read, M.D.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-blake-m-read-1046246702) Surgery Colorectal Surgery ## Related articles [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) - Patient story ### [Robotic Surgery Delivers for Retired Mailman](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/robotic-surgery-delivers-for-retired-mailman-2029692374) Robotic surgery allowed Steven Mendoza, a veteran postal worker, to have same-day prostate removal at Sutter's Foothill Surgery Center. - Patient story ### [Robotic-Assisted Surgery Heals East Bay Grandma](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/robotic-assisted-surgery-heals-east-bay-grandma-2023563901) Gwen McCauley was walking the halls within a few hours of her robotic-assisted surgery. [View all articles](https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories) ## Disclaimer _Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary based upon circumstances and the healthcare provider’s medical judgment. Testimonials or statements made by any person(s) within this site are not intended to guarantee outcomes or substitute for medical advice._ ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/milestone-robotic-surgery-makes-cancer-uneventful-for-union-city-man-2023563859#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patient Stories","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Milestone Robotic Surgery Makes Cancer ‘Uneventful’ for Union City Man"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/milestone-robotic-surgery-makes-cancer-uneventful-for-union-city-man-2023563859#article","name":"Milestone Robotic Surgery Makes Cancer ‘Uneventful’ for Union City Man","headline":"Milestone Robotic Surgery Makes Cancer ‘Uneventful’ for Union City Man","abstract":"Gary Resurreccion was surprised to learn his procedure was the 50,000th robotic surgery performed at Sutter Health.","description":"Gary Resurreccion was surprised to learn his procedure was the 50,000th robotic surgery performed at Sutter Health.","keywords":["Minimally invasive and robotic surgery"],"datePublished":"2023-05-17","dateModified":"2026-01-22","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/milestone-robotic-surgery-makes-cancer-uneventful-for-union-city-man-2023563859","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/milestone-robotic-surgery-makes-cancer-uneventful-for-union-city-man-2023563859","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/patient-stories/milestone-robotic-surgery-makes-cancer-uneventful-for-union-city-man-2023563859#breadcrumblist"}},"author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://dyn.mktgcdn.com/p/5UpTmg0vwm69GjNFoMb2mqDVCHCM-dhj3AwrbMLdKeo/fit=crop,gravity=auto,width=1200,height=630"},"articleBody":"At age 52, telecommunications specialist Gary Resurreccion has seen the launch of innovations from smartphones to Siri. “But I didn’t anticipate my sixth decade of life would include one of the world’s most cutting-edge technologies: robotic surgery,” says Resurreccion. His surgeon, Blake Read, M.D., says he was equally surprised to learn the procedure was the 50,000th robotic surgery performed at Sutter Health. Dr. Read is among a cadre of specialists at Sutter skilled in using surgical robots. “Our organization is a recognized leader in robotic surgery, having performed 50,000 operations across multiple different service lines including gynecology, urology, general surgery and thoracic surgery,” says Michael Beneke, M.D., medical director of robotic surgery at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS). “Currently there are programs for the da Vinci Surgical System at 16 Sutter hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers to assist surgeons in performing minimally invasive procedures.” Advances in robotic surgery have significantly accelerated since 1992, when the first robotic surgery worldwide to replace a man’s hip was performed at Sutter General Hospital – now known as SMCS. The procedure catalyzed a global trend toward more minimally invasive surgeries with robotics that continues today. Resurreccion benefited from those advances after routine screening showed he had colorectal cancer. The location of Resurreccion’s tumor made it difficult to reach with traditional long-handled laparoscopic tools. So, Dr. Read used one of the latest generations of the da Vinci Surgical System to extend a camera and surgical instruments farther to remove the cancerous growth. “This combination allows for precise dissection in parts of the body that are often otherwise inaccessible,” says Dr. Read. “The robot gives us surgeons advanced, ‘wristed’ movements of the instruments in tight and narrow spaces, along with binocular 3D visualization so we can effectively and safely remove the tumor while preserving the surrounding healthy tissue. Better precision means quicker healing and, for health concerns like cancer, less likelihood of tumor recurrence.” Within one hour, and without any incisions on the outside of his patient’s body, Dr. Read had completed the procedure. “I went home the day after surgery feeling grateful that cancer was almost ‘uneventful’ for me,” says Resurreccion, who recovered without complications. He’s now back to work, play and time with his wife and three children.","mentions":[{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-michael-beneke-1046239417#Person","name":"Michael Beneke, M.D., FACS"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/find-provider/dr-blake-m-read-1046246702#Person","name":"Blake M. Read, M.D."}]} ```