Robot in Outpatient Surgical Department

Ascension Providence is the first in its community to place this technology in an outpatient setting. The new system is located in the Outpatient Surgical Department.

"We have recently reached capacity on our current robotic system, so this new robot was critical to improve the access for all of our patients," said Dr. Wood.

With the da Vinci Xi, surgeons can perform delicate and complex operations through small incisions. The surgeon is fully in control of the robotic-assisted system, which translates his/her hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. The system’s 3D-HD vision provides surgeons a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands into the patient.

The da Vinci Xi utilizes smaller, thinner robotic arms with a greater range of motion than previous versions of the technology. This creates a more natural extension of the surgeon’s eyes and hands. The goal is to further reduce the size of surgical incisions, and decrease the amount of tissue damage during surgery. As a result, patients should experience less pain and recover more quickly.

Rick Metzger, Vice-President of Operations and Surgical Services described how proud he was of the entire team for working hard to grow the robotic program at Ascension Providence. Metzger said, "Our associates and physicians are committed to making this program one of the best not only in our community but in our region as we work to improve the care of those who are most poor and vulnerable. Our goal is to provide the right care, in the right setting, to assure quick and easy access for our patients."