Cape Girardeau, Missouri - SoutheastHEALTH, a recognized leader in surgical innovation, has acquired the da Vinci Xi® Surgical System, further enhancing its minimally invasive robotic surgical capabilities. The first procedure using the new technology was performed today. Southeast is the first hospital in the region, which includes southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky and northeast Arkansas, to offer da Vinci Xi technology.

The new system, manufactured by Intuitive Surgical, has far broader capabilities than prior generations of the da Vinci System. It can be used across a wide spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for complex, multi-quadrant surgeries. 

SoutheastHEALTH introduced da Vinci technology to downstate Missouri in 2006, becoming the second hospital in Missouri to offer this surgical option and the first community hospital to do so.

Since then, more than 2400 robotic-assisted surgeries across several medical specialties have been performed at Southeast Hospital, over 1000 of those by Dr. Hallman.

“the robotic approach allows much smaller incisions to be used during surgery, which translates to a shorter hospital stay, fewer complications, less need for narcotic pain medicine, less blood loss, shorter hospitalization, quicker recovery and minimal scarring,” said Urologist Gregg Hallman, MD, with Cape Girardeau Urology Associates. He was instrumental in the acquisition of the region’s first da Vinci system and pioneered surgical removal of the prostate gland using the technology at Southeast Hospital.

Dr. Hallman added, “The da Vinci Xi continues to expand on the da Vinci technology. The Xi enables complex surgeries using a minimally invasive approach.” He explained that the multi-quadrant approach on the da Vinci Xi allows greater anatomical access from the kidney to the bladder, along with crystal-clear 3-dimensional HD visualization that facilitates delineation between tissue planes. Additional benefits of the new system include fewer and smaller incisions and a reduction in operative time.

He said in the field of Urology currently there are 8 to 12 different procedures utilizing the da Vinci Xi. Dr. Hallman noted that 99 percent of patients who undergo a surgical procedure utilizing the da Vinci go home the next day.

Dr. Hallman said he is “pleased and excited that Southeast has continued to invest in this technology for patients in the community and region. I believe it is tremendously advantageous for patients to have the opportunity to keep their care close to home and family and reap the advantages that this technology offers.”

SoutheastHEALTH President and CEO Ken Bateman said the da Vinci Xi “demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing patients the finest in technology coupled with excellent, quality care.

We are fortunate to have highly skilled, outstanding surgeons on our medical staff who share that commitment and dedication to offering patients the very best care, close to home.”

The da Vinci Xi System’s key features include:

A new overhead instrument arm architecture designed to facilitate anatomical access from virtually any position.

A new endoscope digital architecture that creates a simpler, more compact design with improved visual definition and clarity.

An ability to attach the endoscope (an instrument that can be introduced into the body to view its internal parts) to any arm, providing flexibility for visualizing the surgical site.

Smaller, thinner arms with newly designed joints that offer a greater range of motion than ever before.

Longer instrument shafts designed to give surgeons greater operative reach.

Pictured: Cape Girardeau urologist Gregg Hallman, MD, center, and the Southeast Hospital Surgery team celebrate installation of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, first of its kind in the region. The first procedure on the new robotics platform was performed on August 2