Twenty years after becoming the first Capital Region hospital to acquire and use a da Vinci® computer-enhanced surgical system, St. Peter’s Hospital is once again pioneering a new era in the field of minimally invasive surgery with the arrival of the area’s first Intuitive da Vinci 5® robotic surgical system.
The new surgical system has only been in operation for three weeks and already, we have performed more than 30 procedures with exceptional patient results. The acquisition further solidifies St. Peter’s Health Partners as the leading provider of robotic surgery in New York’s Upstate Region. With more than 26,000 robotic surgeries performed to date, St. Peter’s continues to set the standard in innovative surgical care, offering patients unparalleled precision, safety, and positive outcomes.
“We are thrilled to bring the da Vinci 5 Surgical System to our patients, and especially proud to be the first hospital in the Capital Region and within the entire
Trinity Health network, to offer this advanced robotic technology,” said Steven Hanks, M.D., president & CEO, St. Peter’s Health Partners and St. Joseph’s Health. “As the upstate leader in robotic surgery, we have witnessed the profound impact this technology can have on our patients and community. More than 26,000 people have gotten back faster to the lives they love thanks to the minimally invasive surgeries they have had within our hospital walls. That’s less time away from their loved ones; less time out of work; and less time away from living their best lives. That’s why we remain committed to staying at the forefront of medical innovation to ensure we continually provide the highest quality care to our patients.”
A New Era in Surgical Excellence
The da Vinci 5 is Intuitive’s most advanced and integrated platform, representing the pinnacle of robotic-assisted surgery. It offers unparalleled precision, enhanced dexterity, and superior visualization, allowing surgeons at St. Peter’s Hospital to perform complex procedures with greater accuracy, resulting in smaller incisions, reduced blood loss, shortened recovery times, and improved outcomes for patients.
“Having the Da Vinci 5 system at our disposal is a game-changer for both surgeons and patients,” said Barbara Brazis, M.D., chief of robotics and general surgery at St. Peter’s Hospital. “The state-of-the art features include 3D high-definition visualization and Force Feedback technology, which allow surgeons to see more and feel more. The system also features a redesigned surgical console with improved ergonomics designed to increase the surgeon’s comfort, an invaluable asset during
multi-hour procedures. This important redesign can help limit the wear and tear on a surgeon’s own body, potentially extending their career.”
“Advanced Care for Our Community”
Da Vinci 5 is the newest entry to the da Vinci portfolio of systems, which also includes the da Vinci X and da Vinci Xi, both of which are currently in operation at St. Peter’s and Samaritan hospitals. Redesigned from the inside out, da Vinci 5 brings more than 150 design innovations and 10,000 times the computer power to enable enhanced surgical senses, greater surgeon autonomy, more streamlined operating room workflow, and cutting-edge data analytics.
“St. Peter’s acquisition of this groundbreaking surgical system underscores its commitment to bringing the latest medical advancements to the community it serves,” said Nicholas Montalto, M.D., chief medical officer for St. Peter’s Health Partners Acute Care and gynecological surgeon. “Patients in the Capital Region can now benefit from the most advanced surgical care available, close to home.”
St. Peter’s Hospital was a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive surgery when it became the first hospital in the area to use a da Vinci computer-enhanced surgical system after acquiring one in 2004. Since then, the minimally invasive surgical program has expanded to include both St. Peter’s and Samaritan hospital. With the addition of the Dv5, SPHP now has a total of seven da Vinci robots between St. Peter’s and Samaritan hospitals.
This expanded access has allowed SPHP to bring the most advanced, minimally invasive techniques to patients and has established SPHP as one of the nation’s leaders in robotic surgery. St. Peter’s and Samaritan hospitals perform the greatest number of robotic procedures in the Capital Region with St. Peter’s Hospital ranking in the top 1% of total robotic surgery volume across more than 2,400 hospitals in the United States. These procedures encompass a multitude of surgical specialty areas, including general surgery; colorectal; gynecology; gynecological oncology; hepatobiliary and pancreatic; urology; bariatric; and thoracic.
The da Vinci surgical systems integrate robotics and extremely sophisticated computer technology with the skills of the surgeon. The systems allow surgeons to see and move in three dimensions, giving them the ability to perform delicate operations with great precision but requiring only tiny surgical openings. By avoiding the large incisions of open surgery, this computer-assisted micro-surgery helps avoid many complications and speeds a patient’s recovery.
“Ultimately, the success of a procedure rests upon the skill, knowledge, and experience of the surgeon and surgical team,” said Kim Baker, senior VP, hospital operations. “We are fortunate at SPHP to have all of that. Our surgical team members including our surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, patient care techs, and clinical leaders, are all well-trained, highly-skilled – and having performed more than 20-thousand surgeries – are the very best at what they do. We are all extremely grateful for their hard work and dedication to our patients and to our community.”
