Plastic surgeon from South Jersey was one of the lead authors on article examining innovative use of robotic technology in breast reconstruction surgery.

Mullica Hill, New Jersey (March 2018) — An article describing robotic‐assisted breast reconstruction surgery authored by Dr. Vinay S. Gundlapalli, a plastic surgeon at American Surgical Arts in South Jersey, was recently published in the journal "Microsurgery," an international, peer‐reviewed publication.

Dr. Gundlapalli, a microvascular surgery specialist who joined American Surgical Arts in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, in 2017, was the lead author of the article detailing the use of the da Vinci® Surgical System, a robotic technology used for breast reconstruction. The case involved a new breast reconstruction technique that used tissue from a patient's abdominal area to create a new breast mound. Surgeons earlier had adapted the da Vinci system for reconstructive procedures but not for this specific type of surgery, Dr. Gundlapalli wrote.

Robotic surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System is a medical breakthrough that enables surgeons to operate with enhanced vision, precision, and control. The da Vinci System features a magnified 3D high‐definition vision system and small, wristed instruments that bend and rotate at angles that the human hand can't duplicate.

The article explains that the da Vinci System provides an alternative to the conventional deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap procedure, which has become a mainstay of autologous breast reconstruction. In this new approach, the surgeon harvests fat and skin (but not muscle) from the lower belly area. Saving the muscle helps avoid abdominal weakness. Additionally, because it reduces fat and skin in the belly, the DIEP procedure produces abdominal results similar to abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).

Dr. Gundlapalli is an internationally trained surgeon whose background includes earning advanced degrees in India, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. During his U.S. training, he completed a 5‐year general surgery residency at Mercy Catholic Medical Center in Philadelphia, graduating as chief resident. He also graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina as chief resident in plastic surgery before joining Dr. Sean Bidic, the founder of American Surgical Arts.

In addition to being a skilled cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon, Dr. Gundlapalli is recognized for his academic work and research that is published in peer‐reviewed journals. He presents his research at regional, national, and international conferences, including studies involving various breast reconstruction techniques.