Health care
Dell Children’s Medical Center North Campus became the first pediatric hospital in the world in May to receive a new robotic spinal surgery technology, according to Ascension Seton. The VELYS Robotic-Assisted System will allow pediatric surgeons to perform safer, more accurate spinal surgeries for children with scoliosis and other advanced spinal conditions using 3D imaging technology, said Dr. Brian Kaufman, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Dell Children’s. The technology is positioning Dell Children’s North to become “a destination center for pediatric spine surgery,” said Dr. Kirsten Ross, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Dell Children’s. The VELYS robot is one of many new robotic technologies that have made their way into health care facilities in Central Texas. Major hospital systems, including Baylor Scott & White, Ascension Seton and St. David’s, are increasing their investments in robotic procedures. North Austin hospitals advance robotic care
• 125,000 robotic procedures performed since 2015 through St. David’s HealthCare Local branch: • St. David’s North Austin Medical Center • 12221 N. Mopac, Austin St. David’s
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SOURCE: ST. DAVID'S/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Ascension Texas
• 25,000 robotic procedures performed by Ascension Texas since 2021 Local branch: • Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital • 11113 Research Blvd., Austin
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SOURCE: ASCENSION TEXAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
• 250 robotic procedures performed at Dell Children’s Central since fiscal year 2023-24 Dell Children’s Local branch: • Dell Children’s Medical Center North Campus • 9010 N. Lake Creek Parkway, Austin
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SOURCE: DELL CHILDREN'S/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Zooming out
How it works
After years of providing robotic surgeries for urology and gynecology, robotic orthopedic spinal surgery is “the new frontier” for Ascension Seton, said Charles Kaczmarek, vice president of surgical services for Ascension Seton. Doctors perform surgery to correct scoliosis by placing screws and rods into a patient’s back, Kaufman said. The VELYS robot completes a 3D scan of a patient’s spine and uses a robotic arm to position the screws. The precision of the robot is crucial as misplacing a screw can result in a spinal cord injury, Kaufman said. “[It allows] us as the surgeons to do this with less force, less variance and more safety, but we are still doing everything,” Kaufman said. The VELYS technology allows Dell Children’s to take on more complex spinal cases, Ross said. Additionally, the robot makes spinal surgeries more efficient and reproducible whereas the outcome of nonrobotic spinal procedures can differ based on the surgeon, she said. Spinal procedures using the VELYS technology, which began June 5, were already booked for six
The implementation of robotic surgical procedures has taken off across the U.S. Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White and St. David’s HealthCare have expanded robotic surgeries across their hospitals in specialities ranging from general surgery to orthopedics. “[Robotics] is definitely becoming the most dominant way of operating ... but we’re just really getting started,” said Dr. Thomas Payne, vice president of the Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery at St. David’s.
Benefits of robotic surgery
Smaller incisions
Faster recovery time
Reduced risk of blood loss and infections
Lower hospital readmission rate
Lower use of narcotics
SOURCES: ASCENSION SETON, BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
By the numbers
More than 750,000 robotic surgeries are performed in the U.S. every year, according to Stony Brook Medicine. Robotic surgeries increased from 1.8% to 15.1% from 2012 to 2018, according to the American College of Surgeons. SOURCE: STONY BROOK MEDICINE AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
weeks out as of mid-May, Ross said. “Our goal is to continue to be the leader in the robotics access for the region,” said Dr. Travis Isbell, chair of surgery for Baylor Scott & White. “We want to keep pushing that availability so that we can give the patients all the best options right in front of them.”
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