Fraser Health performs first robotic-assisted surgery at Surrey Memorial
On June 23, surgeons used the da Vinci Xi system to remove a lung tumour, giving patients access to minimally invasive techniques closer to home.
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Fraser Health marked a milestone on June 23 when surgeons at Surrey Memorial Hospital performed the first robotic-assisted procedure using the da Vinci Xi system — removing a lung tumour from a 55-year-old woman.
The robotic system allows surgeons to operate from control consoles in the operating room, making precise movements with magnified 3D visualization. "Robotic instruments are steadier than a human hand," the health authority noted in a release. Smaller incisions mean less pain, scarring, and faster recovery for patients.
Patients needing ear, nose and throat surgeries and thoracic procedures will be the first to benefit. People previously referred outside Fraser Health for these surgeries can now receive care at Surrey Memorial, reducing stress on patients and families. The Surrey Hospitals Foundation raised $4.5 million to bring the system to the hospital, one of B.C.'s busiest surgical centres with 79 surgeons performing 18,600 surgeries last year. A second da Vinci Xi robot will begin operating at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster for urology procedures.
