[Issue] Chosun University Hospital Reaches 800 Robot-Assisted Surgeries...Leading Advanced Cancer Surgery

Medical staff at Chosun University Hospital are performing surgery on a cancer patient using the da Vinci Xi robot. Provided by Chosun University Hospital

As of February 6, Chosun University Hospital has performed 800 robot-assisted surgeries, taking the lead in the field of advanced surgery in the local medical community.

According to Chosun University Hospital on February 24, the hospital introduced the fourth-generation advanced surgical robot, the da Vinci Xi, in April 2022, becoming the first in Gwangju to do so and opening its Robot Surgery Center. Since then, it reached 700 cases in November last year, and has continued its steep growth trajectory by surpassing the 800-case milestone in just three months.

This achievement is highly significant in that it has created an environment where local patients can receive high-quality surgery without having to travel long distances to large hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area.

High-risk cancer surgeries account for about 70%..."A key hub for regional cancer treatment"

According to the Robot Surgery Center at Chosun University Hospital, achieving 800 cases this time represents not just an increase in volume but also qualitative growth. High-risk cancer surgeries for thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer, and kidney cancer account for about 70% of all procedures, establishing robot-assisted surgery as the standard for treating serious conditions.

In particular, the hospital has proven its unrivaled performance in robot-assisted surgery in the region by successfully performing the first transoral robotic thyroidectomy, single-port robotic cholecystectomy, and robotic living donor nephrectomy in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province, as well as the first robotic liver transplant donor surgery in the Honam and Chungcheong regions.

Behind this rapid growth lies Chosun University Hospital's own systematic "smart surgery system."

The hospital has not stopped at simply introducing the advanced da Vinci Xi equipment. It has maximized safety by establishing a constant cooperative system that brings together highly experienced surgeons for complex procedures, dedicated robot-surgery nurses, and anesthesiology and pain medicine specialists.

In addition, by accumulating and analyzing data from robot-assisted surgeries, the hospital has continuously improved specific clinical indicators such as shortening operation times, reducing blood loss, and preventing complications. This has created a virtuous cycle that enables faster recovery for patients and a more efficient surgical environment for medical staff.

Kim Yuseok, Director of the Robot Surgery Center, said, "Reaching 800 robot-assisted surgeries means that a solid medical infrastructure has been established so that local patients can receive precise and safe cancer surgery without having to go to the Seoul metropolitan area," adding, "We will continue to expand the indications for robot-assisted surgery to provide local patients with more sophisticated, highly refined, and optimal surgical outcomes."

Hospital Director Kim Jinho said, "I am grateful to the medical staff who have quietly stayed at their posts and achieved these results despite difficult internal and external circumstances such as gaps in medical care," and added, "Chosun University Hospital will continue to fulfill its role as a bastion of essential healthcare, providing the best possible medical services to local residents."