Big Rapids Hospital

Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital Upgrades Robotic Surgery System

New da Vinci equipment offers new capabilities for surgeons, patients.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich., May 19, 2020 – A new robotic-assisted surgical system debuted at Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital Tuesday, increasing capabilities for the surgical staff in providing state-of-the-art care for area patients.

The da Vinci Xi system is the next generation of technology and gives surgeons more flexibility and reach, advanced visualization and integrated table motion that moves in sync with the robot.

The system was purchased late last year, but it’s implementation was delayed due to COVID-19.

“This is definitely a game changer for surgery here in Big Rapids,” said general surgeon Mark Haan, MD. “This upgrade places Big Rapids on the forefront of minimally invasive surgery and being able to provide this type of surgery to the people of our community provides so many benefits.”

Those benefits include less postoperative pain, quicker recovery time, and in most cases no need for postoperative narcotic/opiate pain medications, Dr. Haan said.

Dr. Haan, along with general surgeon Lisa Price, DO, have used the previous da Vinci system since 2017.

Common procedures for robotic surgery include gallbladder removal, hernia repair, colon resections and hysterectomies.

The da Vinci system enables the surgeon to operate through a few small incisions, like traditional laparoscopy, but instead of directly manipulating the instruments, the surgeon uses da Vinci’s multiple arms to translate hand movements into smaller, meticulous movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body.

The surgeon sits at a console, looking at a high definition, 3D image of the surgical site captured by a tiny endoscope camera on one of the device’s arms. The system provides the surgeon with enhanced vision, precision and control.

“This remarkably sophisticated equipment opens up techniques that can be of great benefit to our patients,” Dr. Price said. “It is capable of precise and minute movements and flexibility beyond what the human hand can do.”

 

About Spectrum Health
Spectrum Health System, a not-for-profit, integrated health system, is committed to improving the health and wellness of our communities. We live our mission every day with 31,000 compassionate professionals, 4,500 medical staff experts, 3,300 committed volunteers and a health plan serving 1 million members. Our talented physicians and caregivers are privileged to offer a full continuum of care and wellness services to our communities through 14 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, 155 ambulatory sites and telehealth offerings. We pursue health care solutions for today and tomorrow that diversify our offerings. Locally-governed and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, our health system provided $585 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2019. Thanks to the generosity of our communities, we received $30 million in philanthropy in the most recent fiscal year to support research, academics, innovation and clinical care. Spectrum Health has been recognized as one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems by Truven Health Analytics®, part of IBM Watson Health^TM.

 

Contact:
John Norton
Corporate Communications Manager
Office: 231.592.4387
Mobile: 231.580.1079
Email: john.norton@corewellhealth.org