IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa Healthcare officials say they have now performed over 10,000 robotic procedures, the program plans to continue growing. Robotic procedures have expanded to a variety of disciplines in UIHC from cardiac surgeries to transplants. These tools are specialized in soft-tissue procedures. Hospital staff use robotics in roughly 100 cases every month.

In a social media post, the UIHC said “Our Perioperative Robotics Program recently celebrated its 10,000th soft-tissue surgery using robotics and is performing approximately 100 cases per month, thanks to the collaborative work of the surgical specialties and expanded training programs for nurses and residents.” UIHC Medical Director of Robotic Surgery, Dr. David Bender, MD, says “Robotic procedures are done across all surgical disciplines for patients in need of surgery—many of whom have cancer. Urology, gynecologic oncology, thoracic oncology, general surgery and otolaryngology are among the specialties using this technology every day.

Robotics Nurse, Julie Delancey, RN, and nurse Megan Mulholland, RN, BSN prepare an Operating room and robot for a Robotic Prostatectomy at UIHC on Monday, November 7, 2022. (UIHC Facebook photo)

The program has been a 20-year work-in progress, with more than 40 surgeons having learned how to operate these machines. UIHC started rolling in robotic procedures over the last several years, but now the hospital says they’re used every day.

UIHC Robotics surgical specialists, nurses & residents. (UIHC Facebook photo)