Mega Doctor News
STHS McAllen leaders & operating room staff recently celebrated the STHS Clinics general & bariatric surgeon’s milestone with a special celebration
Combining the enhanced precision and dexterity of a robotic surgical system with the experience, expertise and adaptability of a surgeon, robotic-assisted surgery has revolutionized the healthcare industry.
In the process, robotic surgery has helped improve patient outcomes, including reduced pain, faster recovery times, smaller scars and a lower risk of infection compared to traditional open surgery.
Since joining South Texas Health System Clinics in September 2024, Dr. Miguel Rodriguez, a board-certified general surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery, has been performing complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control at STHS Edinburg, STHS Heart and STHS McAllen, where he now serves as the medical director of the facility’s recently launched robotic surgery program.
On Monday, May 5, Dr. Rodriguez hit a special milestone by completing his 100th robotic surgery case at STHS: a hiatal hernia repair at STHS McAllen using the facility’s newly acquired da Vinci 5 Robotic Surgical System. The patient involved in his 35th procedure at STHS McAllen is expected to make a full and swift recovery.
Dr. Rodriguez has also performed robotic surgery cases using the da Vinci Xi systems at STHS Edinburg (57 procedures) and STHS Heart (8 cases), where he performs bariatric surgeries through the STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center.
“This is the first of many more milestones to come for me and South Texas Health System,” says Dr. Rodriguez, completed a fellowship in Advanced Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic before joining STHS Clinic. “STHS McAllen and its sister facilities are committed to improved patient outcomes, and this achievement serves as a true testament to our dedication to consistently deliver positive experiences for the patients who entrust us with their care.”
To celebrate Dr. Rodriguez’s surgery milestone, STHS McAllen leaders and operating room staff hosted a special congratulatory celebration for him at the facility earlier this week.
“STHS McAllen is proud to have Dr. Rodriguez leading the hospital’s charge when it comes to improving patient outcomes through robotic surgical procedures,” says Emma Montes-Ewing, Chief Executive Officer, STHS McAllen. “Since joining STHS, he’s demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality of care for our patients, which remains at the core of everything we do at STHS.”
Adept in performing minimally invasive and robotic procedures on a patient’s foregut, which involves the esophagus, stomach and upper small intestines, Dr. Rodriguez specializes in cholecystectomies (gall bladder removal surgeries), appendectomies, anti-reflux procedures, hernia repairs and gastric bypasses, among other procedures.
“As a Rio Grande Valley native, I’m proud to spearhead the robotic surgery program at STHS McAllen that’s taking patient care to the next level,” says Rodriguez, who graduated from Sharyland High School in 2009. “I’m grateful to be helping meet the complex surgical needs of the community while striving to improve patient outcomes through robotic surgical procedures.”
Fluent in English and Spanish, Dr. Rodriguez practices out of the STHS Clinics Acute Care, Trauma Surgery and General Surgery Clinic, located at 1801 S. 5th St., Suite 120, in McAllen.
For more information or to make an appointment, call (956) 631-0393 or visit the STHS Clinics website at www.sthsclinics.com.
To learn more about the robotic surgery program at STHS McAllen, visit STHSMcAllen.com.
