A longtime leader in state-of-the-art, robotic-assisted surgery, Virtua Health is breaking new ground: The N.J. health system is the first in the Eastern United States and second in the country to make a large-scale transition to the da Vinci 5 system across all applicable operating rooms. This system, the latest by robotic surgery pioneer Intuitive, is the most advanced platform of its kind.
Marlton-based Virtua, which has 19 robotic-surgery operating rooms using da Vinci technology across its five hospitals, expects to complete this transition by early June.
“This milestone reflects our shared commitment to advancing minimally invasive surgery and delivering the best experiences and outcomes to our community,” said John Matsinger, DO, MBA, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Virtua. “We want our patients to know that we continually invest in the best tools and the best people so that they can have the best possible quality of life.”
Virtua worked with Intuitive to help develop the kind of robotics program that could meet Virtua’s vigorous demands. Among the first 100 health systems to implement da Vinci 5, Virtua will soon offer the system throughout applicable operating rooms.
Robotic-assisted surgery enables smaller incisions and greater precision, often leading to faster recovery, less pain after surgery and fewer complications, among other advantages. Da Vinci systems are designed for a range of soft-tissue surgeries, such as hernia repairs, lung and other thoracic procedures, bariatric (weight loss) surgery and urologic, gynecologic and colorectal procedures, among others.
The da Vinci 5 system offers more than 150 enhancements to its predecessor, including improved accuracy and precision, enhanced views inside the body, novel force-sensing technology that may reduce trauma to tissue and better positioning options for surgeons
“As Intuitive releases more technology advances for the da Vinci 5 over the next few years, this standardization across our health system will position Virtua to seamlessly access these updates,” noted general surgeon Craig Zaretsky, M.D., chair of Virtua’s Department of Surgery.
“Every advancement helps us do our jobs even better, so we can provide the best possible results for our patients,” he added. “As technology continually evolves, we’re committed to embracing and implementing these life-changing developments.”
This collaboration will also help Virtua to expand robotic-surgery training opportunities for surgical residents, including more access to virtual reality simulators, which enable trainees to develop their skills in a risk-free setting.
An early adopter of robotic surgery, Virtua has performed more than 43,000 robotic-assisted operations since 2006, making the nonprofit, academic health system a national leader. Virtua uses other specialized robotic platforms, as well, to address different types of surgical needs, such as hip and knee replacements
