For nearly 20 years, Virtua Health has embraced robotic-assisted surgery to improve patient outcomes. As a result, the South Jersey health system has become a top robotic-surgery provider for dozens of procedures, both regionally and nationally.

And Virtua is continuing to expand its robotic-surgery offerings, bringing their benefits to more patients. These highly precise, minimally invasive techniques can enable faster recovery, less pain after surgery, and fewer complications, among other advantages. 

“Virtua is a regional and national leader in robotic-assisted surgery,” said Dr. John Matsinger, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the not-for-profit health system.

“Nationally, we are among the centers doing the highest percentage of surgeries robotically – more than 80% of all surgeries, and more than 90% of our joint-replacement surgeries,” he added. “We know it works really well for patients, so we’re committed to it.”

Virtua has performed more than 43,000 robotic-assisted operations since 2006 – from hernia repairs to hip and knee replacements, colorectal surgery to gynecologic and urologic procedures, and many others.

That depth and breadth of experience makes a difference, Dr. Matsinger noted.

“Our robotic-assisted surgeons and teams do these procedures every day, so they are truly experts at using the technology. That means better outcomes, including less time in surgery and under anesthesia,” he explained. 

Indeed, Virtua is becoming a regional and even national destination for robotic-assisted surgery, with out-of-state patients coming from Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Michigan, as well as overseas.

“Robotic assistance makes me a better surgeon,” said Dr. Jeremy Reid, a Virtua joint-replacement specialist. “I’m able to execute the plan for that patient with greater precision, every time.

“Robotic-assisted joint-replacement patients often feel better faster,” the surgeon explained. “They have a shorter period of inflammation, and they tend to gain strength and confidence faster in all activities of daily living – standing, walking, climbing stairs, and getting back to active sports.”

More surgeons, more robots
In total, Virtua’s 70-plus board-certified, robotically trained surgeons conduct over 5,500 robotic-assisted procedures annually, across 10 specialties, using 22 next-generation robotic surgical systems.

In other measures of its robotic prowess, Virtua:

• performs the third-highest number in the U.S. of Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements, out of 1,800 total organizations. (Mako is by far the leading manufacturer of robotic systems for these procedures.) This puts Virtua in the top 1% for number of these procedures
• performs almost twice as many robotic hip and knee replacements as the next busiest hospital system in the Greater Philadelphia/Delaware Valley region
• is among the first 70 U.S. health systems recently chosen to receive the most advanced da Vinci robotic surgery system, based on high levels of use and expertise. Da Vinci systems are used for a broad range of “soft tissue” surgeries, such as hernia repair, prostate removal, bariatric surgery, hysterectomy, and the like.
• Colorectal surgeon Dr. Keith Meslin is in the top 1% nationally for number of da Vinci robotic colorectal surgeries performed.

Collaborating to improve people’s health
Virtua also sets itself apart by working with both internal and external partners to advance health through robotic-assisted surgery.

For example, as national leaders, Virtua robotic surgeons train peers from other health systems, helping to bring these beneficial techniques to patients across the country.

And within Virtua, administrators listen to surgeons, who know what works best for their patients. These teams work creatively together to bring the latest robotic advances to the health system.

“We’re really doing things differently to bring these leading-edge services and highly experienced surgeons to our community,” said Dr. Matsinger. “Our various surgical practices also work well together and support each other. This collaborative spirit is part of Virtua’s ‘Culture of WE.’ It allows us to innovate and be more successful.”

Virtua’s strong support of robotic-assisted surgery enables the best possible outcomes for patients, noted Dr. Geoffrey Bowers, a gynecologic surgeon.  

“The number of times you use the technology, the access to the most advanced technology, and the level of training that each surgeon has – that’s an incredibly important part of taking that robotic technology and using it to its fullest,” he said.

Virtua also works closely with robotic device manufacturers to meet patient needs, including flexible arrangements that quickly provide additional robotic equipment when needed.

Moreover, robotic joint-surgery patients can often choose the convenience of an outpatient procedure at a Virtua-affiliated surgery center, rather than a hospital stay.

“This is one of our hidden gems,” Dr. Matsinger noted. “Many people can have their hip or knee replaced by a top-notch robotic surgeon at one of our ambulatory surgery centers, then go home the same day and sleep in their own bed that night.

“The bottom line,” he added, “is that we’re maximizing our robotic capabilities to help make great surgeons even better, so they can do best by our patients.” 

How robotic surgery works
When performing robotic-assisted surgery (a.k.a. robotic surgery) on soft tissue, the surgeon maneuvers tiny surgical instruments via highly precise hand controls on a special console. The surgeon views the surgical site on a high-definition, 3D, magnified screen via a tiny camera inside the body. The robotic equipment enables greater flexibility and precision than with traditional surgery, and very small incisions.

For robotic joint replacement, the surgical team uses special software to create a 3D model of the patient’s hip or knee. The surgeon then controls a robotic arm and computer navigation to perform the procedure, using the model as a guide. The robotic tools, combined with enhanced views of the surgery and sensory feedback, enable greater precision.

To learn more, visit Virtua.org/RoboticSurgery or call 888-847-8823 to schedule a surgical consultation.