Merrimack Health announced that it is bringing advanced robotic-assisted surgery to Methuen Hospital with the acquisition of Intuitive’s da Vinci 5 surgical robot, the company’s latest and most advanced generation of the surgical platform.
Robotic-assisted surgery allows for many procedures to be performed less invasively than traditional open surgery, often resulting in smaller incisions, less pain, lower risk of infection, and faster recovery with shorter hospital stays. The da Vinci 5 offers enhanced technology compared to former generations of the platform, including magnified 3D visualization and greater precision, dexterity, and range of motion.
This investment reflects Merrimack Health’s broader, system-wide planning for care delivery as it continuously assesses where to expand services, where consolidation can improve quality and efficiency, and where new capabilities are beneficial to meeting the needs and interests of our patients, providers, and employees. Importantly, it expands access to a service that has been largely unavailable in the Merrimack Valley, helping ensure patients can receive care within their own community.
“Bringing robotic-assisted surgery to our community is an example of our continuous work to invest in needed services for the region,” said George Kondylis, MD, FACEP, CHCQM, chief physician executive, Merrimack Health. “This clinical capability strengthens our surgical offerings as well as provides an environment in which many surgeons want to operate. But most importantly, it ensures that patients have access to the highest level of surgical options close to home.”
The new robotic system recently arrived at Methuen Hospital, and procedures are expected to begin in mid-May. Robotic-assisted surgery is used for a range of minimally invasive surgical procedures including urologic, gastroenterological, gynecological, thoracic, and general surgery procedures. The surgeon is 100% in control of the robotic-assisted system, which allows for smaller, more precise movements, smaller instruments, and better magnified visualization.
“This represents the highest level of minimally invasive surgical care for patients,” said David Ma, MD, a general surgeon and robotic-assisted surgery specialist with Merrimack Health. “It expands our capabilities across many areas of surgical care, including gastrointestinal, urologic, gynecologic, and thoracic procedures, and will support future opportunities in cancer care, allowing us to bring advanced care to more patients locally.”