Upgraded robotic surgery technology allows surgeons even more precision

In recent years, robot-assisted surgery has afforded patients an alternative to traditional surgery, which often requires a large open incision, and laparoscopy, which uses small incisions but is typically limited to certain procedures. With the da Vinci© Surgical System, surgeons at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital offer a minimally invasive option for both routine and complex surgical procedures. Now, that technology has been upgraded to allow surgeons even more precision.

The hospital recently invested in the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, which can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multi-quadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecologic, urologic, thoracic, bariatric and general surgery.

“For a long time now, we have been using the da Vinci Si Surgical System, which radically transformed the way our surgeons work,” says BWFH Chief of Surgery Douglas Smink, MD, MPH. “Now that we’ve upgraded to the Xi, we can offer our patients even more. This new model affords the surgeon more efficient visualization of the abdomen or pelvis. It also offers wristed instruments, 3D-HD visualization, intuitive motion and an ergonomic design, all of which provide the surgeon with better control, which in turn leads to better outcomes for patients.”

Particularly in bariatric surgery, the new da Vinci model allows surgeons to do more for their patients. “The new da Vinci lets us staple tissue and offers dynamic tilting for more complex surgery,” explains BWFH’s Director of Bariatric and Anti-Reflux Surgery David Spector, MD. “It also improves the way we perform advanced hernia surgery and offers new options for general gastrointestinal surgery.”

BWFH Associate Surgeon and Director of Ambulatory Clinical Operations for Brigham and Women’s Division of Urological Surgery Quoc-Dien Trinh, MD, FACS, uses the da Vinci surgical system for many procedures, including radical prostatectomies. “The new robot has thinner arms and longer instruments which helps reduce external arm collisions and allows for greater reach in tight areas like the pelvis,” he says.

“We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality care in a convenient location,” says Dr. Smink. “For us, upgrading to the latest da Vinci model just makes sense—for our surgeons and for our patients.”