Rapides Regional Adds Second Robotic Surgical System

Due to demand, Rapides Regional Medical Center has added a second robotic surgical system.

In December 2016, surgeon Meyer Kaplan, M.D., performed the first robotic surgery in the hospital’s history. Since then, more than 600 robotic surgeries have taken place at Rapides Regional Medical Center.

The da Vinci Xi Surgical System in use at RRMC is the most technologically advanced robotic system available, providing surgeons with revolutionary anatomical access. For patients, the benefits of robotic surgery are numerous, beginning with less pain, fewer side effects and shorter hospital stays in most cases.

“The use of the da Vinci Xi system by our surgeons has grown, and our newer surgeons have trained on robotic systems during residencies,” said Rapides Regional Medical Center CEO Jason Cobb. “Adding a second da Vinci Xi only made sense so that we may continue providing health care on a higher level to our patients.”

The da Vinci Surgical System is a tool that utilizes advanced, robotic, computer and optical technologies to assist surgeons during an operation. It does not act on its own as the surgeon controls its movements. The Xi is used across a wide spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures, including general surgery, ENT, urology, gynecology and cardiac.

The da Vinci Xi’s advanced technology uses four robotic arms to take surgery beyond the limits of the human hand. This provides surgeons with greater precision, control and access to hard-to-reach areas, allowing complex operations to be performed through just a few small incisions. The Xi also can perform multi-quadrant surgery without needing to be re-positioned. This allows surgeons to perform more complex procedures.

“When you add the two da Vinci Xi systems to our Brainlab neurological surgical suite, we are proud to offer the highest level of surgical care in Central Louisiana,” said Cobb.