JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Operating rooms at UF Health are getting a helping hand, thanks to the latest robotic surgical system.
The hospital received a da Vinci XI, the only one in the region.
The device has multiple arms, each with a tiny surgical blade at the end, which help turn a variety of challenging surgeries into much easier procedures.
"It enables you to make quick, difficult movements in the body with the assistance of the robot, doing things in spaces that the human hand wouldn't normally be able to reach," UF Health general surgeon Dr. Mike Latzko said.
"I will see 16 times better, and I have better dexterity and hand movement," UF Health surgeon Dr. Bestoun Ahmed said.
Doctors aren't the only ones raving about the device. Winston Peck needed surgery for prostate cancer but was back on his feet quicker than he expected. He has two younger cousins who also have prostate cancer, who went through traditional surgeries.
"They have big gashes, big marks. My marks are so small, and where they did the surgery, the scar is maybe only 3 inches," Peck said.
Surgeons operate next to the patient while the patient is in the center of the operating room. The device allows them to have greater vision, better precision and turns more invasive surgeries into less invasive procedures.
"Surgeries that previously they would be in the hospital for a week to 10 days, sometimes, they're going home within 23 hours," said Dr. Jack Pirris, chief of thoracic surgery at UF Health.
That reduces patients' pain and shortens recovery time. Peck said he was amazed by the device.
"This is the best thing, the best procedure you can have done," Peck said.
"We're very happy and proud to have it here at UF Health, and our patients benefit from it greatly," Pirris said.
The da Vinci XI was installed three months ago. While initial costs for surgery may be a bit higher, the length of stay is shortened, which saves patients and insurance companies money in the long run.