For Eric Lewanda, an avid hiker and chemist from Maryland, life has always been about navigating trails, both on the mountain and in the lab. But when a routine PSA test revealed prostate cancer, he faced his most daunting path yet.
With a family history deeply marked by the disease, an uncle and a brother both diagnosed, with his brother sadly passing away at 66, Lewanda knew this was a journey he had to navigate with precision and the best possible guide.
As a chemist, with a physician wife, Lewanda was no stranger to medical research. He began his search for a surgeon, but the initial consultations near his Maryland home felt like dead ends.
One surgeon admitted, “I won’t know what we’re dealing with until I open you up.” Another projected a grueling five-hour surgery. These options lacked the certainty and innovation Lewanda was looking for. They were also hesitant about some scar tissue from an old appendectomy, viewing it as a complication.
The path forward finally cleared when Lewanda was introduced to Dr. Mutahar Ahmed, a world-renowned urologic surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Center.
Ahmed is a pioneer and global educator in cutting-edge robotic procedures, particularly the single-port robotic system. This minimally invasive technique allows surgeons to operate through a single, small incision, offering patients less pain, minimal scarring and a dramatically faster recovery.
Lewanda said he not only found an expert, but a partner.
Lewanda and Ahmed connected over the complexities of the procedure, their conversations marked by both deep expertise and easy humor. Ahmed was able to use this single-port technology to overcome the obstacles that a multi-port robot would not have been able to.
The procedure, performed in June, was a resounding success. Using the da Vinci SP system, Ahmed was able to perform the complex surgery through one tiny entry point, avoiding the larger abdominal cavity. This advanced technique is so transformative that surgeons from around the world travel to Hackensack to learn from Ahmed and his team.
Lewanda’s recovery was nothing short of remarkable. He went home the very next day, a common outcome for patients undergoing this state-of-the-art surgery. Shortly after, he was back on his feet and, true to his passion, back on the trails.
Today, Lewanda is not just walking; he is climbing mountains again, tackling peaks as high as 3,000 feet. As he celebrates his 64th birthday this November, he has more to be grateful for than ever. He is immensely grateful to Ahmed for his trailblazing skill and to the entire postoperative team for their exceptional care.
Lewanda’s journey is a powerful testament to how the right guide and the most advanced map — in this case, single-port robotic surgery — can help a patient navigate the steepest of challenges and quickly return to the life they love.
Mary McGeever is a PR Manager / Marketing Communications & Public Relations Manager at Hackensack University Medical Center.
For information about Hackensack University Medical Center, go to hackensackmeridianhealth.org/.
