Robotic Surgery

South Texas Health System Edinburg houses two da Vinci® Xi® Surgical Systems, and is a Surgical Center of Excellence, as accredited by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC).

Using these systems, surgeons can operate on a patient via one or more small incisions, typically less than or equal to one centimeter long, as opposed to the large incisions that may be required in traditional surgery. This enables surgeons to perform complex, minimally invasive procedures with a surgical approach aimed at improving patient outcomes and the overall patient experience.

Benefits of Robotic Surgery

STHS Edinburg uses robotic surgery systems because patients may experience shorter recovery times, a quicker return to work and normal activities and less scarring when they have minimally invasive, robotic surgery. Compared to traditional open surgery, robotic surgery using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System may also provide patients with these benefits:

• Decreased risk of infection
• Reduced pain and trauma to their bodies
• Reduced loss of blood during a procedure

Watch this video as Bob Saggi, MD, describes the benefits of robotic surgery.

The da Vinci Xi Surgical System

Surgeons at South Texas Health System Edinburg use robotic technology to perform a variety of procedures such as gallbladder removal, colorectal surgeries, hernia surgeries, hysterectomies and other procedures. South Texas Health System Edinburg is the first medical facility south of San Antonio to use the da Vinci Xi system, which provides surgeons with enhanced vision, greater access to their patients' internal organs and higher precision than with previous systems.

Instead of relying on handheld instruments and a separate video monitor, robotic systems enable surgeons to control four steady robotic arms through a video guidance system. When using a robotic system, surgeons sit at a console in the operating suite with a video monitor that displays the surgical area. After the surgical arms are placed in the correct position, surgeons control them from the console to complete the procedure. The da Vinci Xi system uses smaller, lighter arms that have an extended range of motion compared to previous systems, and bending and rotation capabilities that far exceed the human hand.

The system uses laser-guided targeting to pinpoint the surgical area, and then configures itself into the optimum position for the procedure. A magnified 3D HD vision system provides surgeons with clear vision and true depth perception.

Single-Site Robotic Gallbladder Surgery

Treatment for gallbladder disease generally includes lifestyle and dietary changes and medication. However, in some cases, doctors recommend cholecystectomy, which is surgery to remove the gallbladder.

Doctors at South Texas Health System Edinburg use the da Vinci Xi Surgical System to perform the procedure through a single incision in the navel. Because there is only a single, small incision, patients often experience less trauma to the body and less blood loss during the procedure surgery. This means they may recover more quickly and return to work and daily activities faster than they would with conventional surgery.

Candidates for Robotic Surgery

If you need surgery and would like to know if robotic surgery is an option for you, talk to you primary care physician. He or she will be able to refer you to a physician who is trained to perform robotic surgery.

Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if robotic surgery is right for you.