Lakeview Regional improving patient outcomes with investment in new robotic surgery technology

The da Vinci Xi Surgical System uses smaller incisions, which results in shorter hospital stays

Lakeview Hospital , a campus of Tulane Medical Center, is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, the newest generation of robotic technology. The new da Vinci Xi robot, an over $1 million investment, will benefit Lakeview Regional patients by yielding smaller incisions, less blood loss, a quicker return to a normal diet and a shorter hospital stay. It also means resuming normal physical activities much quicker than with traditional surgery.

“Any time we can provide our patients with a better surgical experience using more advanced equipment, we will strive to deliver that outcome,” said Bret Kolman, Lakeview Regional Chief Executive Officer.

The da Vinci Xi is the newest and most advanced da Vinci system, and it provides a technological leap forward in replacing traditional, large-incision surgeries with a minimally invasive approach. “Lakeview Regional’s investment in this robot is a testament to its commitment to provide physicians with the latest tools to achieve exceptional outcomes for their patients,” said Cary Gray, a general surgeon with Lakeview Regional Physician Group. “As a surgeon, I appreciate the broader capabilities of this new system. It offers even greater visualization than the previous model, combined with better dexterity and precision to assist me in performing more complex and intricate surgeries.”

"Any time we can provide our patients with a better surgical experience using more advanced equipment, we will strive to deliver that outcome."
- Bret Kolman, CEO

Lakeview Regional’s surgical team has established itself as a leader in robotic surgery, being the first on the Northshore to offer single-incision robotic surgery and robotic weight-loss surgery. The surgeons at Lakeview Regional have performed hundreds of procedures using this state-of-the-art technology.

The da Vinci Xi system further advances the technology used in minimally invasive surgery for complex diseases and conditions in gynecologic, urologic, thoracic, cardiac and general surgeries. “This technology will be a game-changer for patients needing surgery related to lung and heart conditions,” said Dr. Greg Groglio, cardiothoracic surgeon at Lakeview Regional. “In appropriate patients, I can surgically address a variety of lung diseases or offer robot-assisted heart bypass surgery without the need for the thoracotomy/sternotomy that is normally required with traditional open procedures. That means less chance for infection, less pain and less recovery time for the patient.”

The da Vinci Xi possesses a 3D, high-definition visualization, providing surgeons a highly-detailed view of the surgery, which can be magnified up to 10 ten times. The da Vinci instruments also have mechanical wrists that bend and rotate to mimic the movements of the human wrist, allowing surgeons to make small, precise movements inside the body.

Lakeview Regional's surgeons have been performing robotic surgery since 2013 with the da Vinci Si system, the predecessor to the Xi system.