The Hořovice Hospital, which is part of the AKESO healthcare holding, is launching a new era in surgical care. In the newly renovated premises of one of the existing Central Operating Rooms (COS), the da Vinci Xi robotic system - the most advanced technology for robotic-assisted surgery - has been installed and put into operation. The ribbon-cutting ceremony symbolically kicked off preparations for the first procedures that will take place in the coming weeks.
A milestone for the hospital and the region
"The launch of robotic surgery is a significant milestone in the history of Hořovice Hospital. It confirms that we belong to the first league in quality, innovation and technology. Our patients will no longer have to travel to Prague or Pilsen for robotic surgery. For a significant part of them, we can offer complete care from diagnosis to surgical solution in one place, within the framework of care fully covered by health insurance. This will increase comfort and shorten the time from diagnosis to surgery," says MUDr. Radek Majerčin, Director of the Hořovice Hospital.
The teams of doctors who will operate on the da Vinci system in Hořovice have international certification and extensive experience from previous work at other institutions. "I have performed about a hundred robotic operations, especially for rectal cancer. Compared to the laparoscopic approach, the robotic approach is safer, gentler and more precise. It is a modern tool that doctors use in situations where it can really benefit the patient. The robot does not operate on its own, but is always controlled by an experienced surgeon from the control console," emphasizes the expert supervisor of the surgical department , Július Örhalmi, MD, PhD, FASCRS, MBA.
The benefits of robotic-assisted surgery are not only apparent during the procedure itself, but also during the patient's recovery period. "If we have such advanced technology at our disposal, our goal is to use it to its full potential. Robotic surgery not only benefits the surgeon, but above all the patient - it means less surgical trauma, faster healing and a shorter hospital stay. Thanks to the high precision and gentleness of the procedure, we can discharge patients home even several days earlier than after conventional surgery, safely and with the assurance of a good healing," adds Martin Oberreiter, MD, Head of the Surgery Department.
The robotic system will serve several disciplines - urology, general surgery and gynaecology. "In urology, we will focus mainly on prostate and kidney surgery for cancer indications, as well as on correction of congenital defects of the renal pelvis and other benign findings in the ureter or bladder," says Petr Běhounek, MD, head of the urology department. In general surgery, it will be mainly intestinal surgeries, in gynaecology, for example, robotically assisted hysterectomies.
The installation of the system was preceded by the reconstruction and adaptation of one of the operating theatres. "The implementation of robotic surgery required complex logistical preparation and reorganization of the COS operation. The entire perioperative team, including non-medical staff, completed a several-month educational program culminating in certification. At the same time, the Central Sterilization Unit staff was installed and trained, where plasma sterilization was newly introduced. It was necessary to allocate one of the existing operating theatres for robotic surgery and to carry out its demanding reconstruction. Thanks to the well-functioning and well-coordinated COS team, we managed everything without any major difficulties, for which I owe them my deep respect and gratitude," says the Head of the Central Operating Room Department , Peter Szeghy, MD.
The da Vinci system is one of the most advanced robotic technologies in the world. "This is the 29th robotic system installed in the Czech Republic. In the Hořovice hospital it is the fourth generation system. Clinical practice with many years of experience shows shorter hospitalisation, faster recovery and lower incidence of complications," adds Jan Zatloukal, clinical team manager of Synektik, the supplier of the technology.
Hořovice Hospital thus offers patients the opportunity to undergo modern surgery right in the region - with the support of an experienced team and high-level technological equipment. The inauguration marks the beginning of a new chapter that will bring greater comfort and gentler procedures to patients, with care fully covered by health insurance.
