Mease Dunedin Hospital Brings Robotic Surgery Option to Community

December 27, 2023
Five members of the surgical team, all wearing green scrubs and surgical caps, stand by the new robotic system.
Dr. Richard Gordon, second from left, and his team performed one of the first procedures, a bariatric surgery, with the new robotic system.

 

Mease Dunedin Hospital has expanded its surgical services to the community with the acquisition of the da Vinci XI Surgical System.

"Robotically assisted surgery allows our surgeons to utilize the most innovative tools available to perform procedures at the highest level possible," said Kelly Enriquez, president of Mease Hospitals.

Benefits of robotic surgery include:

  • More precise surgery
  • Less trauma to the body, less pain
  • Less blood loss, less risk of infection
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Shorter recovery time
  • Smaller scar 

The robotic platform has four interactive arms. The surgeon sits at a console and directs the procedure, manually operating the instruments with his thumb and index finger. When the surgeon moves, the instruments respond precisely to those movements in real time. The instruments work identically to the movement of a human arm, human elbow, and human wrist; however, with an enhanced range of motion.

The console also contains a screen that shows high-resolution, 3-D images of the surgical site.

The da Vinci XI Surgical System displays four separate arms.
Robotic surgery with the da Vinci XI Surgical System brings many benefits to the patient, including less pain, less risk of infection, and shorter recovery time.

 

The system can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures in the areas of gynecology, urology, bariatrics, and general surgery. For now, Mease Dunedin anticipates using it for:

General Surgery Procedures

  • Bariatrics
  • Hernia repairs
  • Bowel procedures 
  • Gall bladder and appendix procedures

Prostate procedures

"The Xi will allow us to expand our general surgery capabilities," said John Pollard, director of surgical services for the Mease Hospitals. "It will also allow us to add more surgeon depth to critical services provided to our patients, increasing the strength of our already amazing medical staff. We are now able to provide so much more to the community and the patients we serve."

The acquisition of the surgical system was made possible through a grant from the Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation. 

 

 

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