Intermountain Front Range makes significant investment in surgery tech

One of four new da Vinci 5 robots purchased for Front Range now at Saint Joseph

‍Saint Joseph is now home to a new da Vinci 5 surgical robot, the most advanced minimally invasive surgery system on the market, in a bid to attract new surgeons and more patients to the hospital for the care they need, using the technique they want.

“Patients now seek out surgeons who offer robotic surgery, and surgeons want to practice where the latest technology is available. The dV5 is it,” said Kyle Thompson, MD, Bariatric Surgery. “The platform restores and augments our senses with visualization that has become so good that any future enhancements may not be perceptible by the human eye.”

In fact, according to maker Intuitive, the dV5 offers the highest-quality 3D imaging system available, providing a more magnified and clearest-ever view of the surgical site. It also features Force Feedback Technology, which for the first time will allow surgeons to feel the tension of cutting through tissue, allowing the surgeon to adjust in real time and eliminate any excess force.

Compared to the previous model, the dV5 experience feels like a power surge, with 10,000 times more computing power for processing speed and analytics that can provide objective metrics.

“The interface also allows the surgeon more control over the environment, such as the insufflation and energy settings, right from the console,” Thompson said. “This eliminates the need for a nurse to move around the room to make adjustments to these settings, resulting in improved efficiency and less variability.”

The purchase price for each platform is $2 million. The software will expand without any additional cost, allowing for continual upgrades to the platform’s capability and the surgeons’ experience.

Thompson adds the analytics could lead to real-time feedback during surgery, standardized training, technique optimization and, eventually, AI-assisted decision support.

Physicians with questions about the new platform at Saint Joseph, including its capabilities and potential, can contact Thompson via email.