AdventHealth Tampa performs nation's first single port robotic rectal resection and pouch creation

Innovative procedure offers patients with inflammatory bowel disease a less invasive option for healing and recovery

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- People living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) now have access to one of the newest, most advanced and minimally invasive surgical treatments available in the country at AdventHealth Tampa.

Ahmed Allawi, MD, and the hospital's colorectal surgery team, recently completed the first-ever single port (SP) robotic rectal resection and pouch creation surgery in the United States, giving new hope to patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis who need surgical care to restore quality of life.

For many people living with IBD, surgery becomes necessary when medications can no longer control symptoms or complications arise. Traditionally, these procedures required several incisions and a long recovery time. The single port robotic system changes that.

This advanced technology allows surgeons to operate through one small incision, using a highly precise robotic arm to perform the procedure. The approach is less invasive, often leads to less pain and can shorten recovery time, helping patients get back to living the life they love sooner.

"Every step forward in surgical innovation is about improving the experience and outcome for our patients," said Ahmed Allawi, MD, colorectal surgeon at AdventHealth Tampa. "The single port robotic system gives us the ability to perform very complex procedures through a single incision, which means less discomfort, fewer scars and a faster return to feeling whole again."

The procedure is especially significant for patients who need a total colectomy and pouch creation, where surgeons remove the diseased colon and create a new internal "reservoir" from the small intestine. With the single port system, this complex reconstruction can now be completed through a single-entry point, making it easier for patients to recover comfortably and maintain normal bowel function.

"This achievement represents a remarkable advancement in surgical innovation and clinical excellence," said Michel Murr, MD, medical director of the AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute. "By combining precision robotics with the expertise of our surgical teams, we are redefining what is possible in minimally invasive colorectal surgery and expanding the options available to patients seeking the best possible outcomes."

Learn more about the comprehensive surgical expertise found at AdventHealth Digestive Health Institute in West Florida here.

SOURCE AdventHealth West Florida Division