'Steadier than a human hand': Fraser Health is now using robots for surgery
If you get a surgery at the Surrey Memorial Hospital, a robot might be part of the team operating on you.
Fraser Health is celebrating the hospital’s first robotic-assisted procedure. On June 23, doctors used the da Vinci Xi system to remove a lung tumour from a 55-year-old woman.
“The surgery went well, and we were able to remove a tumour using minimally invasive techniques,” said Dr. Ahmad Ashrafi, the regional division head and chief of thoracic surgery for Fraser Health, who led the surgery.
“With the robot we can make smaller incisions, so patients experience less pain and scarring and have better recoveries.”
The robotic system allows surgeons to operate from two control consoles in the operating room, where they can perform exact movements “with delicate precision and optimal visualization,” according to Fraser Health’s press release.
“Robotic instruments are steadier than a human hand, and surgeons get magnified 3D views. The surgeon controls the robot and acts as an advanced tool, supporting better outcomes for patients,” it adds.
People who need ear, nose and throat surgeries, as well as those who need thoracic (lung, chest, esophagus, and stomach) surgeries, will be the first to benefit.
“People previously referred out of Fraser Health for these surgeries will now be able to receive their care at Surrey Memorial Hospital, reducing stress on patients and their families,” reads the release.
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Dermot Kelly, the president and CEO of Fraser Health, said that the technology supports better surgical precision, as well as the hospital’s ability to attract and retain skilled surgical teams.
“Introducing robotic-assisted surgery is another step forward in advancing innovation and modernizing health care in Fraser Health,” he said.
The Surrey Hospitals Foundation raised $4.5 million to bring robotic-assisted surgery to the Surrey Memorial Hospital. It is one of the busiest centres for surgery in B.C., with 79 surgeons performing 18,600 surgeries last year.
“With the addition of the da Vinci Xi system to support the surgical team and dedicated operating room time, even more people will be able to access advanced surgical care closer to where they live,” reads the release.
Fraser Health said that a second da Vinci Xi robot will begin operating at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, where urology procedures will be based.