The first eight patients have been operated on using robotic surgery at the University Hospitals of Coimbra

The University Hospitals of Coimbra (HUC) have carried out the first eight surgeries in recent days using a robotic system that allows procedures to be “less invasive and more precise”, as announced this Thursday.

“It is a system that allows for minimally invasive procedures, increasing surgical precision and reducing patient recovery time,” said Alexandre Lourenço, president of the board of directors of the Local Medical Unit (ULS) of Coimbra.

During the presentation of the HUC robotic surgery program, Alexander Lourenço said that the first two surgeries using robotics in the field of urology were performed on Friday.

This Wednesday, two more were performed in general surgery, and today three more in gynecology.

According to the president of ULS in Coimbra, the robotic surgery program has been “a very big ambition of the institution for several years”, with the acquisition of the Da Vinci Xi system representing an investment of two million euros, as well as surgical consumables for 2024 worth more than one million euros.

The surgical areas covered by the robotic surgery program are urology, general surgery, gynecology, orthopedics and neurosurgery.

“The Da Vinci system was installed in institutions in May, teams were trained, and we are talking about the impact on urology, general surgery and gynecology. In addition, this is the most modern equipment that has an additional training mode that has an impact on undergraduate and postgraduate training,” he said.

Arnaldo Figueiredo, director of the urology service, where the first two interventions using the robotic surgical system were carried out, reported that the operations “were carried out without the slightest disruption or complications.”

“You could say they’ve been a success,” he said, emphasizing the “recognized benefits” of the practice, though he also assured that it was not “a revolution in the sense of changing the fundamentals of surgical practice in medical practice.”

“This is an important evolution that we very much welcome and that brings additions, but the essential aspects of what constitutes guidelines in surgical practice remain the same: good surgical indications, a multidisciplinary team of doctors and nurses, surgeons and anesthesiologists who are able to make the best decisions and achieve the best results,” he stressed.

He said the key players in the operation are still the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the nurse and others involved who continue to determine what to do, but there are advantages “in terms of being less invasive and less subtle in the gestures.”

Director of the General Surgery Service Guilherme Tralhan noted that three interventions on Wednesday took place without incident: two patients were discharged today and another on Friday.

“We started with the simplest cases to train and get used to this new approach. The program is destined to succeed, it is an added value because it is better for patients and motivates specialists and the institution,” he guarantees.

This is an added value that could increase the number of patients who benefit from this approach, with advantages in areas such as rectal tumors, pancreatic surgery and liver recessions, he added.

Director of the Gynecology Service Fernanda Aguas stressed the importance of the new technique in more complex surgeries, “where the robot represents an added value.”

“This program has been a breath of fresh air for the profession, where everyone has put a lot of effort into the training program and adaptation to the equipment, even though we are talking about experienced surgeons,” he said.

By the beginning of 2025, the institution also intends to acquire a robotic assisted surgery system worth two million euros.

It is also planned to purchase image navigation systems, also worth two million euros.