Columbus Regional Health using new robotic surgery machines

COLUMBUS, Ind. — Columbus Regional Health is putting two new robotic surgery systems to use.

While the hospital is no stranger to robotics, staff said their newest models, called the da Vinci 5, are their most advanced yet.

The system has three parts: a tower that coordinates how much energy is used, the console where the doctor sits and controls the operation and the actual robotic platform. 

The mobile platform has four arms — three that hold tools and one that serves as a camera so doctors can view what they’re controlling at the console.

Chief of Surgery Dr. John Francis said robotic operations generate less blood loss and faster recovery times. 

“Where you used to have to make an incision large enough to get both of your hands in there and comfortably dissect, with [the robots], our largest incision is probably about [an inch],” Francis said. 

Francis is one of 11 surgeons who use the technology at the hospital. As a urologist, he said the system can do anything from organ removal to carefully gliding along tissue. The robots are also useful in gynecology and general surgery procedures. 

“We’re now at the point where it’s going Monday through Friday, sometimes on the weekends for cases that require it,” Francis said.

The hospital has had robotics for at least six years, but these latest versions offer new and improved features. 

“[It can do] everything from forced feedback, feeling the intention of the tissues as you’re doing your dissection, manipulation of the tissues, to better imaging [and] better magnification,” Francis said.

Francis said that while he hasn’t experienced any pushback against the technology when talking about it with patients, sometimes people misunderstand what it means to use a robot in surgery.

”Many patients hear they’re going to have a robotic surgery and they have the impression it’s going to be conducted by an actual robot and there’s no human control,” Francis said. “There’s always a surgeon who’s at the robotic console who is providing all of the manipulation of the instruments. The platform does not work independently unless a physical surgeon is directing it to do so.”

While the robots may be common in cities, Francis said it’s rarer for places like Columbus. The hope is to recruit more qualified surgeons to be able to expand the program as a whole.

”I think it reflects our commitment to providing the best quality care to our patients in this community that we have this platform and we have the expertise of skilled surgeons to utilize it,” Francis said.