Latest news with #robotic surgery
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors trained to use robotic surgery machine
A group of doctors have begun training which will allow them to use robotic equipment to carry out surgery. They have been learning how to use the multi-million pound Da Vinci robotic surgery machine at the University Hospital of North Tees robotic surgery suite in Stockton. It will allow them to carry out less invasive procedures with quicker recovery times. The hospital's robotic surgery matron, Sarah Waite, said the training suite and theatre was a "huge benefit for patients" and helped attract new doctors to work at the site. "Robotic-assisted surgery is the future. It's much more precise, more efficient and less intrusive for patients," she said. "The doctors we are training will spend a year with us, learning all the intricacies of robotic-assisted surgery. "It's not an easy task but I'm sure they will all rise to the occasion." The robotic suite carries out about two to four surgeries a day for gynaecology, colorectal and urology procedures. Dr Sarah Safdar, who was being trained in obstetrics and gynaecology, said the classes had allowed her to see the robotic surgery process for the first time. "It's a new innovation in gynaecology and I'm really excited to learn more," she said. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. More stories Can robots like Roxy revolutionise cancer surgery? The robot revolutionising gynaecological surgery Related internet links University Hospital of North Tees
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Doctors train to use robotic surgery machine in Stockton hospital
A group of doctors have begun training which will allow them to use robotic equipment to carry out have been learning how to use the multi-million pound Da Vinci robotic surgery machine at the University Hospital of North Tees robotic surgery suite in will allow them to carry out less invasive procedures with quicker recovery hospital's robotic surgery matron, Sarah Waite, said the training suite and theatre was a "huge benefit for patients" and helped attract new doctors to work at the site. "Robotic-assisted surgery is the future. It's much more precise, more efficient and less intrusive for patients," she said."The doctors we are training will spend a year with us, learning all the intricacies of robotic-assisted surgery. "It's not an easy task but I'm sure they will all rise to the occasion." The robotic suite carries out about two to four surgeries a day for gynaecology, colorectal and urology Sarah Safdar, who was being trained in obstetrics and gynaecology, said the classes had allowed her to see the robotic surgery process for the first time."It's a new innovation in gynaecology and I'm really excited to learn more," she said. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Globe and Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The Best Growth Stocks I'd Buy Right Now
Key Points Intuitive Surgical continues to lead the way in robotic surgical instruments. Restaurant chain Cava Group is making strides where some rivals are faltering. 10 stocks we like better than Intuitive Surgical › If you're a growth-oriented investor like me, you've probably seen your portfolio experience its fair share of ups and downs the last few years. While the market has rebounded to new heights and many growth businesses have recovered spectacularly, results have varied by individual stock. As always, it's important to look beyond a stock's price and see what's happening behind the scenes. A share price may be up or down for a good reason, but you need to understand the factors driving these movements before you hit the buy button. On that note, here are two top growth stocks to consider if you have cash to invest right now. 1. Intuitive Surgical Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) has been known for its pioneering role in robotic-assisted surgery with the da Vinci surgical system since its first platform was approved more than two decades ago. The da Vinci system provides surgeons with enhanced dexterity, precision, and control during minimally invasive procedures including thoracic, gynecologic, and general surgeries. These systems allow for a wider range of motion than the human hand and wrist, translating surgeon movements into precise instrument actions within a patient's body. This is particularly helpful for complex procedures in confined spaces, but can also improve surgery outcomes, shorten recovery time, and reduce the risk of adverse complications. Intuitive Surgical's revenue comes from three different sources: system sales, instruments and accessories, and services. What might be surprising is that Intuitive's most significant revenue stream is selling instruments and accessories such as forceps, scissors, scalpels, drapes, and vision products. Once a da Vinci system is installed in a hospital, each surgery performed using that system requires these specialized instruments and accessories, many of which are single-use or need to be replaced after a set number of uses. Of course, as systems can cost $1 million or more apiece, one-time sales, as well as usage-based or lease-type sales of systems, are a key driver of revenue. Finally, the services business encompasses the comprehensive support provided to customers, including installation, maintenance, and repair of surgical systems. Intuitive typically includes service contracts with the initial sale of a da Vinci system, providing ongoing revenue through annual fees. These contracts can vary in price depending on the system configuration and the scope of services included. The company's new da Vinci 5 platform is now broadly available in the U.S., and limited launches are starting in Europe and Japan after receiving the necessary regulatory clearances. The da Vinci 5 system has been well-received so far, with over 100,000 procedures already performed since its initial approval in the U.S. in early 2024. Intuitive Surgical's revenue growth for the first half of 2025 totaled $4.69 billion, a healthy 20% increase from the $3.9 billion it reported in the first half of 2024. Net income for the first six months of 2025 came to $1.4 billion, up 27% on a year-over-year basis. And the average consensus 12-month price target from analysts suggests a potential upside of approximately 20% from current share prices. If you're a long-term investor who wants a piece of the action of a top-notch healthcare stock, definitely consider Intuitive Surgical. 2. Cava Group Cava Group (NYSE: CAVA) is a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain that offers customizable bowls, salads, and pitas with a focus on fresh, healthy ingredients. The company also produces and sells a line of Mediterranean dips, spreads, and dressings available in grocery stores. Cava has been a standout example of a fast-casual restaurant that's expanding gradually and strategically without sacrificing its financial health. In fact, Cava's financials keep looking better and better. Revenue reached $329 million in the first quarter of its fiscal 2025, a 28% increase compared to the same period last year. Same-store sales also increased by 10.8% in Q1, while Cava opened 15 new restaurants in the three-month period alone. That rate of expansion brought its restaurant total to 382 locations across 26 states and the District of Columbia. The company is also building a consistent track record of profitability. Its Q1 net income of nearly $26 million was almost double that of the previous year. And Cava is targeting 1,000 restaurants by 2032, a significant expansion of its current footprint. Importantly, restaurant-level profit of $82.3 million was up 27.4% in Q1 on a year-over-year basis, and restaurant-level profit margin was 25.1%. These are impressive figures for a fast-casual restaurant that's still in the relatively early stages of its growth story. Cava has shown resilience in navigating macroeconomic headwinds by focusing on strategic pricing, guest engagement, and operational excellence. The restaurant stock seems to be resonating with consumers, providing a strong value proposition in a sector of the restaurant industry that's highly competitive and fragmented. If you have the risk appetite to invest in a business operating in a more cyclical consumer-facing space, Cava looks like a quality buy to consider right now. Should you invest $1,000 in Intuitive Surgical right now? Before you buy stock in Intuitive Surgical, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Intuitive Surgical wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $624,823!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,820!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,019% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 178% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025
Zawya
30-07-2025
- Health
- Zawya
KFSHRC advances robotic surgery with a successful Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh successfully performed a robotic Ivor Lewis esophagectomy, the first of its kind in the Middle East, on a 46-year-old male diagnosed with gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer located near the area where the esophagus meets the stomach. The patient regained mobility within two days of surgery, began oral intake by day five, and was discharged within ten days. This outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of the robotic approach in reducing pain, minimizing complications, and accelerating recovery compared to conventional surgery. The procedure was led by Dr. Khalid Aldaghri, Consultant in bariatric, upper gastrointestinal, and robotic surgery at KFSHRC. Utilizing the Ivor Lewis technique, a complex and technically demanding procedure involving two phases. The abdominal phase involved stomach mobilization and creation of a gastric conduit. This was followed by the thoracic phase, in which the diseased esophagus was resected and the conduit is robotically connected within the chest. Precision in the robotic system enabled surgeons to reach deep anatomical areas without large incisions, enhancing safety, reducing risks, and improving outcomes in one of the most complex cancer surgeries. Close collaboration among surgical, anesthesia, nursing, and technical teams was key to the procedure's success. All teams worked synchronously across every stage, from pre-op planning to post-op recovery. This approach reflects KFSHRC's multidisciplinary model of care, designed to improve patient outcomes and boost clinical efficiency. With its advanced features, the robotic surgery significantly enhanced the safety and accuracy of the esophagectomy by offering three-dimensional high-definition visualization, stable instrument control, and superior access within confined anatomical spaces. These capabilities enabled more precise dissection, better preservation of surrounding structures such as nerves and vessels and reduced intraoperative risks. The technology also made it physically easier for the surgeon to operate over an extended period. As a medical milestone, the success of this procedure opens the door for broader applications of robotic surgery at KFSHRC. It enables more patients to benefit from advanced surgical techniques and reinforces the institution's commitment to clinical innovation, safety, and effective alternatives to traditional surgical approaches. It is noteworthy that King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 15th globally in the list of the world's top 250 Academic Medical Centers for 2025. It was also recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East by Brand Finance in 2024 and was listed among the World's Best Smart Hospitals by Newsweek for 2025.
Medscape
29-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Da Vinci Malfunctions: How Safe Is Robotic Surgery?
The da Vinci robotic surgical system, developed by Intuitive Surgical, is the most widely used robot-assisted surgical platform worldwide. This enables surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures with enhanced precision, flexibility, and control. For the first time, a systematic review and two real-world studies confirmed the safety and effectiveness of the system. These findings establish a new benchmark for the future of robotic surgery worldwide. Over the past two decades, robotic surgery has significantly reshaped surgical care, offering improved precision and less invasiveness than traditional approaches. The da Vinci system currently dominates the global market, with more than 2.6 million procedures performed in 2024. In Italy, da Vinci platforms have been in use for over 25 years and are now installed in more than 200 hospitals, where they have been used to treat hundreds of thousands of patients each year. Despite this widespread adoption, comprehensive safety analyses, particularly regarding the frequency and clinical impact of technical malfunctions, are lacking. This is a key gap, particularly as new robotic platforms are emerging and must be evaluated against current standards. Surgery Comparison The COMPARE study, published in the Annals of Surgery , is the largest comparative analysis to date of robotic, laparoscopic, and open oncologic surgeries. This study reviewed data on 3.9 million procedures from 230 publications across 22 countries. It included 34 randomised controlled trials, 74 prospective studies, and 122 database studies. The procedures examined included seven complex cancer surgeries performed using the da Vinci robotic surgical system between 2010 and 2022: lung lobectomy, total or radical hysterectomy, radical prostatectomy, partial nephrectomy, right colectomy, low anterior resection, and total mesorectal excision and/or intersphincteric resection for rectal cancers. A total of 1,194,559 robotic procedures using the da Vinci system were compared with 1,095,936 laparoscopic and video-assisted thoracoscopic procedures and 1,625,320 open surgeries. The primary outcomes included conversion to open surgery, operative time, estimated blood loss, transfusion rate, length of hospital stay, 30-day postoperative complications, readmissions, reoperations, and mortality rates. Robotic surgery took longer than laparoscopy (mean difference [MD], 17.73 minutes) and open surgery (MD, 40.92 minutes), but this was offset by the key clinical benefits. Hospital stays were shorter than those with laparoscopy (MD, -0.51 days) and open surgery (MD, -1.85 days), and blood loss was significantly lower than that with open surgery (MD, -293.44 mL). Robotic surgery reduced the risk for conversion to open surgery by 56% compared with laparoscopy. The transfusion risk was 21% lower than that of laparoscopy and 75% lower than that of open surgeries. Thirty-day complication rates were 10% and 44% lower than those of laparoscopy and open surgery, respectively. Mortality was reduced by 14% and 46% compared with laparoscopy and open surgery, respectively. Overall, robotic surgery showed improved safety for patients. Few Malfunctions Complications related to technical malfunctions are rare; however, how rare are they? A systematic review published in the World Journal of Urology , led by Nicolò Maria Buffi, MD, and Andrea Piccolini, MD, from the Department of Urology at the IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital and Humanitas University in Milan, Italy, addressed this question. The review included 25 studies published over the past 20 years, covering 3,308,134 robotic procedures and 12,986 malfunctions of the da Vinci surgical system. Malfunction was defined as any unintended failure involving the robotic console, patient cart, instruments, or accessories that disrupted the workflow, required troubleshooting, caused delays, led to conversion, or resulted in patient injury. Malfunctions were classified as device-related (console or cart) or instrument-related (tools). A related study in European Urology , led by Marco Paciotti, MD, from the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, and the Department of Urology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, analysed Intuitive Surgical data from 1,835,192 da Vinci X and Xi procedures performed globally in 2022, focusing on system‑generated customer messages, which are alerts generated by the da Vinci system in response to technological problems or incorrect platform use. The meta-analysis reported a malfunction rate of 1%, with device malfunctions in 0.11%, instrument issues in 0.37%, and conversion due to malfunction in 0.09%. Among all the malfunctions, 12.9% led to conversion to open surgery and 7.7% to laparoscopy. Injuries linked to malfunctions were estimated at 0.01%-0.02%, typically minor and mostly due to electrical arcing (193 of 308 cases), causing limited tissue damage or burns. System Reliability Manufacturer data showed that 1,790,244 of the 1,835,192 planned procedures (97.55%) were completed without alerts. Alerts occurred in 44,948 procedures (2.45%), totalling 140,986 events. Of these, 81.18% (114,447 events) resolved without rebooting. Technical support was obtained for 14,231 procedures. Only 1202 procedures (0.07%) were interrupted due to alerts, and 945 cases (0.05%) required conversion. The specific causes of alerts and clinical outcomes were not analysed; therefore, a direct link between alerts and outcomes could not be determined. Setting Standards Buffi emphasised the need for clear benchmarks on the da Vinci system's reliability and malfunctions. 'Over the last 5-6 years, there has been a significant introduction of new robotic systems. Given that the da Vinci system (with which I specify that I have no conflict of interest) has a long history and is considered extremely reliable, I thought it was appropriate to establish benchmarks for the reliability of robotic surgery. This is important because we risk focusing on economics, that is, on the cost of one robotic system compared to another, without considering the advantages and reliability of the machine,' he said to Univadis Italy , a Medscape Network platform. Buffi also highlighted a major gap in the field: 'Currently, there is no true standard for assessing the reliability of robotic systems; only the CE approval process is required.' According to Buffi, the da Vinci platform, particularly the latest models, has proven to be extremely safe. He explained that most issues in robotic surgery are linked to human error rather than flaws in technology. This underscores the crucial need for thorough training and education of healthcare professionals. The key challenge is to effectively evaluate new platforms against current standards and ensure robust quality criteria for new entrants in the market.
