Health First’s Palm Bay Hospital Introduces Intuitive da Vinci 5 Surgical Robot During Christmas Tree Lighting Event

Robot officially lights Christmas tree during associate and visitor celebration event

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – It doesn’t have a steering wheel (or seat belts). You can’t take it out on I-95. And it won’t even top one mile per hour.

But Health First’s Palm Bay Hospital associates, visitors and patients had an opportunity on Wednesday to “test drive” the hospital’s newest robotic surgery technology – the Intuitive da Vinci 5 robot.

As an added treat for the dozens of Palm Bay Hospital associates, patients, and visitors in attendance, the hospital timed its annual Holiday Tree Lighting celebration during the da Vinci robot’s unveiling.

In fact, with a flick of its shiny metallic arm, the robot officially kicked off the celebration – with a push of the button to light this year’s tree in the hospital’s main atrium area.

During Wednesday’s event, attendees had the opportunity to sit in a video game-like control station and operate the robot through training exercises, utilizing the same technology and equipment as surgeons.

Robotic surgery is not exactly a new concept—it’s been in existence for approximately 25 years—but the technology continues to improve and expand in use across the U.S. According to manufacturer Intuitive, the da Vinci 5 succeeds the da Vinci Xi, which has been used in more than 7 million procedures worldwide to date.

Health First has offered robotic surgery in Brevard County for 10 years, and well over 15,000 surgeries have been successfully performed. Patients who undergo robotics-assisted surgeries stay in a Health First hospital for approximately 1.5 days, compared to the national average for standard, large-incision “open” surgeries of five to 15 days.

In addition to Palm Bay Hospital, Health First’s VieraHospital has also received a new da Vinci 5 robot.

According to Health First General Surgeon Dr. Jason Miller, robotic surgery is minimally invasive, so it’s different than your typical surgery requiring a large and open incision. Robotic surgery involves the creation of tiny incisions (laparoscopic) and the insertion of miniaturized instruments – including a tiny high-definition three-dimensional camera. From a nearby (videogame-like) console, the surgeon manipulates the robot’s attached arms/devices. The robot translates the surgeon’s movements in real-time, mimicking moves precisely on the screen. The surgeon is in control the whole time as the robot responds to the movement she or he makes.

“By using small incisions, you have faster recovery, less risk of infection than with certain surgeries, and just a finer dissection than traditional laparoscopic surgery, helping our patients get back to living their lives quicker,” said Miller.

Miller said robotic surgical technology, especially the latest available in the da Vinci 5, provides a greater comfort level for the surgeon, which, in turn, further benefits and increases the patient’s confidence.

“Knowing that you have a machine that is just so finely tuned and allows you to do so much more as a surgeon and that I don’t have to settle for less than the best, gives me added confidence and comfort,” said Miller.

“One of the great things about this robot is the surgeon can truly feel the tension that is being placed on the tissues during the dissection. So that’s making sure we’re giving a great dissection and doing what we need to do for the surgery, but also not putting undue stress on the tissue. So, this is a significant investment in our patients at Palm Bay and in Brevard County. It’s a commitment to the patients who want to know that we are on the cutting-edge of surgical care – offering this latest and greatest technology that truly shows we’re investing in Health First and the future of the county,” Miller added.

According to Kyle Baxter, Palm Bay Hospital Administrator, the opportunity to showcase the hospital’s latest investment in patient care while hosting the annual tree lighting event was a winning combination for his associates.

“Each year, our associates look forward to and enjoy the holiday tree lighting ceremony – the opportunity to enjoy one another’s company, partake of some festive treats, and watch our atrium light up with holiday spirit. But inviting our associates to not only see – but actually ‘test drive’ – this incredible piece of medical technology is especially important,” said Baxter.

“Health First has over 9,500 associates across our organization, and we want them to be proud of our investments and services, and they’ll share that information and experience with their own family members, friends, and community. Today is a celebration of community – the Palm Bay community, as well as our hospital community.”

“As you look around, you see our associates’ joy and pride in being a part of this hospital, and events like today are very special to celebrate what we’re all about. Kicking off the holiday season adds another level of fun and community spirit,” said Virginia (Ginny) Garner, Vice President of Nursing at Palm Bay Hospital.

“I’m just honored and thankful to be here alongside our new da Vinci 5 robot, the latest cutting-edge technology for our community while celebrating with our associates, visitors, and patients.”

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