Sacred Heart adds Robotic Surgery


At Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, FL, less invasive surgical procedures may involve a robotic surgery system.

Surgeons at Sacred Heart have advanced robotic surgical training. Using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, robotic, computer and optical technology heightens the precision of many procedures. The patient often experiences a faster recovery with smaller incisions, less pain, and a reduced need for pain medicine.

This system operates with robotic arms equipped with a camera that is guided remotely by the surgeon’s precise movements into the patient’s abdomen or chest. Typically, incisions about the size of a dime are made using this procedure. High-resolution video improves what the surgeon can see in the surgical field.

The Sacred Heart Surgical Department has incorporated the da Vinci Xi surgical system for its intuitive technology. This system is now helping to facilitate complex surgery while being controlled by the surgeon at a console. Patients with many types of diseases and conditions are benefiting from this technology:

  • Cancer, including GYN cancers like ovarian and cervical cancer
  • Colorectal cancer, polyps and other GI conditions
  • Liver
  • Kidney, bladder and prostate
  • Female reproductive organs

Watching the da Vinci robot, you see tiny mechanical wrists that bend, rotate and mimic the movements of the human wrist.
 “Robotic technology continues to advance and that allows our surgeons to perform more intricate and complex surgeries that are less invasive,” says Henry Stovall, Sacred Heart Hospital President. “This latest advance applies robotic technology to surgery and helps our patients recover from surgery as quickly as possible. We are committed to be a leader in providing patients with minimally invasive treatments. As a teaching hospital, we also want to provide our resident physicians with training in the latest surgical technology.”
Learn more about Sacred Heart Hospital.