AdventHealth performs first Central Florida procedure with innovative single-port surgical robot

Surgeons at AdventHealth are the first in Central Florida to use a next-generation surgical robot that requires only a single incision to perform minimally invasive procedures.

The da Vinci SP at AdventHealth Celebration is the first of its kind in Central Florida — and one of only 15 in use nationwide since it was cleared for use by the FDA in 2018.

The first procedure at AdventHealth Celebration was a robotic prostatectomy, performed by Dr. Vipul Patel and his surgical team.

“Robot-assisted surgery is much less invasive than open or traditional laparoscopic surgery, which can mean better outcomes and quicker recovery times for patients,” Patel said. “As a single-port system, the SP has the potential to increase these benefits to our patients.”

Most surgical robots in use today require multiple entry points into the body, with each incision accommodating a robot arm that holds a single instrument.

The SP requires only a single incision that is about 2 inches wide. Through a thin tube called a cannula, surgeons can control three separate instruments, plus a high-definition, 3D camera to provide a clear view of the procedure.

“The single-port approach has the potential to be beneficial to patients,” Patel said. “This is an exciting development for the field of robotic surgery.”

In addition to urology procedures, the FDA recently cleared the da Vinci SP to perform lateral oropharyngectomy procedures (commonly known as radical tonsillectomy) and tongue base resection.