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Tom Schultz - Patient Success Story 
Tiny tools. Tiny incisions. Tons of talent. Medical advice comes easy to Tom Schultz. He just turns to his son, a physician, and son-in-law, a medical supply marketer. When Schultz had a double hernia last November, their advice was unanimous: seek out minimally invasive surgery. The technique reduces trauma and recovery time by inserting small cameras and other small surgical instruments through small incisions. An active retiree, Schultz wanted a procedure that would allow him to resume his lifestyle as soon as possible. Friends and associates directed him to Dr. Steve Eubanks, MU’s chair of surgery and a nationally known expert in minimally invasive techniques. With the help of Eubanks and the skilled surgery staff at MU, Schultz is back to bicycling and working in his yard in Columbia, Mo. “Both the operation and recovery went just like Dr. Eubanks said they would,” Schultz said. “The anesthesiologists and nurses also were wonderful. I would definitely say all my expectations were met.” Eubanks came to University of Missouri Health Care in 2004 after serving 10 years with Duke University Medical Center, where he became a leader in laparoscopic surgery and helped form and direct Duke’s minimally invasive center. Since his arrival, Eubanks has been successful in attracting other top minimally invasive surgeons to MU. Drs. J. Stephen Scott and Roger de la Torre, two of the most respected bariatric surgeons in the country, are helping to develop MU’s new surgical weight loss program. They have conducted more than 2,000 minimally invasive surgeries that reduce stomach size, and they have perfected techniques that make the surgery less risky. They also hold more than 30 patents for surgical instruments and devices used for their procedures. Dr. Bruce Ramshaw, MU’s new chief of general surgery, is one of the nation’s top-ranked surgeons for minimally invasive hernia repair. He previously directed Emory University’s Hernia Institute in Atlanta and served as education leader for Emory’s endosurgery unit. “There are very few medical centers in the country that have more than two recognized leaders in minimally invasive surgery,” Eubanks said. “We’ve just recruited four, and with our existing experts in minimally invasive surgery, we have the experience to offer patients the highest-quality services.” |
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