SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - Severance University Hospital said Tuesday it has performed 50,000 robot-assisted surgeries, becoming the first single institution in the world to reach the milestone.
It comes about 28 months after it hit 40,000 cases, having reached 10,000 in 2013, 20,000 in 2018, and 30,000 in 2021 since pioneering robotic surgery in South Korea in 2005.
According to the hospital in Seoul, 12 surgical robots and two training robots are in use, five of which are single-port models suited for procedures in narrow, deep areas such as oral cancer resections, while also helping reduce pain and scarring.
Robotic surgery is most commonly used in urology, thyroid, and gastrointestinal procedures, with thyroid surgery being the most frequent.
The hospital also published about 196 research papers on robotic surgery from 2014 to 2023, with about 2,300 medical professionals from 43 countries completing its training programs.
"We will endeavor to enhance our services with patient-tailored treatment based on advanced surgical technology and clinical research," said the hospital's president, Lee Kang-young.
Robots once merely assisted surgeons, but they are increasingly being used throughout entire surgical procedures from the initial incision to the final stitches, playing a larger role by enabling delicate, precise movements that reduce the risk of infection and shorten surgery time.
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