West Florida Hospital unveils new robot technology

West Florida Healthcare on Thursday introduced the newest addition to its Advanced Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery — the Da Vinci Xi surgical robotic system.

The health system's officials believe the robotic system, made by Sunnyvale, California-based company Intuitive Surgical Inc., will offer several benefits for patients.

Kendrick Doidge, West Florida Hospital vice president of business and public relations, said the benefits could include shorter hospital stays, less blood loss, fewer complications, less need for narcotic pain medicine, faster recoveries and smaller incisions.

Surgeons at West Florida Healthcare's AIMIS regularly perform single-incision robotic procedures as well as more complicated surgeries. The procedures include operations on the colon, kidney, uterus and prostate.

The Da Vinci Xi adds to AIMIS' other robotic systems, which include the Da Vinci Si from Intuitive Surgical and Mazor X from Orlando-based Mazor Robotics.