ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER ACQUIRES LATEST, STATE-OF-THE-ART ROBOTIC SURGERY SYSTEM

AFTER six years of waiting, the eagle has finally landed in St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City. If everything goes as planned, another eagle is set to land in St. Luke’s Medical Center Quezon City very soon.

the eagle being referred to is the da Vinci XI robotic surgical system, making St. Luke’s Medical Center the first in the country to acquire the latest robotic surgical system. this cutting-edge technology reaffirms the institution’s commitment to delivering exceptional medical services and solidifies its position as a leader in the healthcare industry.

At the launch of the da Vinci XI, Dr. Dennis Serrano last January 29, 2024, President and CEO of St. Luke’s Medical Center, recalled that when St. Luke’s decided to buy the first robot, the da Vinci SI, back in 2010, there was no precondition of a return on investment (ROI) because “it was an investment in science, an investment in the care of patients.”

“It was also a testament of the dedication of St. Luke’s to push cutting edge technology. We are the first hospital to recover our investment and now we are the first hospital to get the XI,” Dr. Serrano said.

More importantly, Dr. Serrano said St. Luke’s has the best outcomes in robotic surgery, adding that it will be the patients who will benefit from all of this.

“As leaders in our field, the only way that we can advance is to push everything forward so that we can attain greater achievements,” he said.

Pre-pandemic decision

ACCORDING to Dr. Serrano, the hospital decided back in 2019 to purchase a new robot. However, the pandemic happened and the supplier was having difficulty meeting the demand for the robotic surgery platform when the situation started to normalize.

“It was really a matter of availability. the entire world was getting the new machine and they could only produce so much and the demand in the Asia Pacific region was the last to be addressed. So finally, after a long wait, it’s here,” he said.

Dr. Serrano also announced that St. Luke’s had already made a downpayment on a second da Vinci XI which will be placed in St. Luke’s Quezon City. the move is meant to align both hospitals and bring the level of care in both hospitals to the same level.

“St. Luke’s Quezon City is currently undergoing a big redevelopment. We are expecting the robot to arrive in March. the program is existing in this hospital and the expertise is there. A robot in Quezon City will mean that the patients who need to undergo robotic surgery will no longer need to be transported to Global City,” he explained.

Features and benefits

the da Vinci XI robotic surgical system represents a remarkable leap forward in surgical precision and minimally invasive procedures. this state-of-the-art platform allows surgeons to perform complex operations with enhanced precision and control, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

The system has the following key features and benefits:

Enhanced visualization. the system offers 3D high-definition visualization, providing surgeons with a crystal-clear view of the surgical site. this heightened visibility allows for precise maneuvering and greater accuracy during procedures.

Minimally invasive approach.

the robotic-assistant system facilitates smaller incisions, resulting in reduced scarring, less blood loss, and shorter recovery times for patients. It also minimizes trauma to surrounding tissues, leading to a faster return to normal activities.

Expanded surgical capabilities.

With its versatile design, the da Vinci XI offers a wide range of applications across various surgical specialties allows St. Luke’s to provide comprehensive care for a diverse set of patient needs.

Dr. Hermogenes Monroy, Head of St. Luke’s Institute of Surgery, said the da Vinci XI has been described by institutions abroad as a “game changer” as more patient procedures can be done faster and easier.

Some of the general surgery procedures that can be performed through robotic surgery include rectal surgery, colorectal surgery, procedures from the upper gastrointestincal tract and hernia.

“for the doctors it is really a matter of us being able to do complex surgeries in less time that will eventually translate to lower cost. that’s because part of the cost here is the cost of anesthetics. the longer we do our surgeries, the higher the cost involved,” he said.

“the hidden advantage here is that the patient can go back to work earlier. there is a hidden cost that we cannot compute for our patients. If we are able send them back to work in two weeks’ time, the one and a half months the patient can save for their families is a huge advantage for them,” he added.

Many advantages

Dr. Marie Cruz-jaiver, an Obstetrics-gynecologist, related that she has “seen the advantages of doing robotic surgery for gynecological procedures.”

“I see the difference in terms of ease of surgery, ease of dissection, preciseness specially with myomectomy [surgery to remove uterine fibroids] which is very cumbersome. We can see the advantage of using robotic surgery on patients with higher BMI [Body Mass Index] and that was using the old robot. We are excited to do multiple procedures during one procedure, the ease of moving and excising. We are looking forward to shorter recovery period,” she said.

for their part, Dr. Josefino Castillo, Head of the Institute of Urology, said robotic surgery is the gold standard when it comes to prostatectomies.

“the robotic surgery platform has revolutionized the management of prostate cancer. We have already performed more than 2,000 radical prostatectomies. the surgeons have the expertise and we are supported by very dedicated nurses and allied staff,” Dr. Castillo said.

Dr. Serrano reiterated that while St. Luke’s will be pushing for a return on investment on the da Vinci XI, the patients will always come first.

“We have robotic surgery packages and we have decided that the packages will not be changed even if the machine is new. the price of the packages should be close, if not only a big higher mainly because of inflationary reasons. the pledge is that the patients will get the same surgery with the new robot,” he said.