The implantation of the robotic surgery Robot-assisted technology is gaining traction in the Spanish healthcare system, with new acquisitions, results analysis, and training of professionals in various autonomous regions. In parallel, the cost-benefit assessment is refined to guide where and how to grow without neglecting sustainability.
While programs are consolidated in referral hospitals, emerge premieres in islands and provinces which expand patient access to less invasive procedures, and disseminate clinical cases that demonstrate the ability of these systems to resolve complex situations with greater precision.
Galicia measures impact and plans new acquisitions
The Galician Department of Health is reviewing the performance of its surgical robots in detail to decide on expanding its equipment. The regional ministry analyzes indicators such as surgical times, hospital stay, discharges, need for transfusions and complications, comparing results with techniques such as laparoscopy.
The public service incorporated seven Da Vinci platforms in 2021, one for each health area, in an operation of 20,5 millones de eurosSince then, Galician operating rooms have recorded some 11.400 interventions with robotic assistance, with special presence in urological and oncological procedures.
The intention to acquire more devices is subject to doing so “rationally”, balancing demand, results, and budget. In areas such as A Coruña and Vigo, where healthcare pressure is greatest, healthcare professionals They demand a second team due to the saturation of agendas despite continued use.
The investment is not limited to the initial outlay: the implementation and maintenance of these systems has meant, in the first years of operation, tens of millions in contracts and services. Sanidade estimates 56 millones de euros the first three years of operation since the start-up, an expense that is sought to be offset with fewer complications and earlier discharges.
Thus, the next step is to accurately quantify the impact clinical and organizational aspects of each robot before extending its equipment, prioritizing where justified by caseload and improved outcomes.
Canary Islands and Castile and León: premieres, new specialties, and training
The Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital (Lanzarote) is now operating with its new robotic system. With an approximate investment of 1,7 millones de euros, the Da Vinci Xi began operating on September 24 and has been officially unveiled with the assistance of health authorities. The goal is to carry out at least 150 interventions per year and expand the portfolio of high-precision procedures.
The equipment is intended for soft tissues in specialties such as general and digestive surgery, urology and gynecology, with progressive extension to other areas. Its advantages include greater precision and improved ergonomics for the surgeon, less bleeding, less postoperative pain and shorter hospital stays.
The platform consists of three main modules: the surgeon's console (with 3D vision and controls that filter the tremor), the patient cart with the robotic arms where the instruments are attached, and the vision tower for processing and visualization. Its installation required load testing of the operating room and the gradual accreditation of equipment, with two lead surgeons and professionals in training.
In addition to improving the quality of care, the island's management is confident that robotics will contribute to attract and retain talent health, key to consolidating services on non-capital islands without unnecessary referrals.
In Castilla y León, the ministry has given the green light to the incorporation of the robotic surgery in Traumatology at Salamanca Hospital, with plans to launch the first robot-assisted arthroplasties before the end of the year. Priority is given to avoiding dependence on a single supplier and exploring the possibility of transfer of equipment to reduce the initial outlay, focusing its use on knee and hip prostheses with complex deformities.
The traumatologists of Salamanca, who already exceed the 300 interventions annual with the existing Da Vinci, raise the need for a second robot Due to high demand, in line with what has been studied for other hospitals with maximum occupancy of the system.
The technological projection has also been seen in Segovia, with a scientific day dedicated to the advanced robotic surgery where the Versius robot was shown. Its modular design promises greater flexibility and adaptation to different operating rooms, although its cost, among other things, 2 and 3 million euros, requires realistic spending planning.
Beyond the infrastructure, high-impact clinical examples continue to accumulate. In a recent case, a patient from 42 years with severe hypertension and suspected pheochromocytoma was treated with a robotic adrenalectomy using the Da Vinci Xi. The platform allowed delicate access to the adrenal vein and precise dissection with minimal tumor manipulation, avoiding hemodynamic decompensation and achieving the withdrawal of several antihypertensive drugs.
This type of procedure illustrates how robotics helps in difficult-to-apply pathologies, by combining increased vision, articulated instrumentation and tremor filtering, factors that reduce risks and facilitate rapid patient recovery.
With the roadmap marked by data and healthcare demand, the different health departments are adjusting investments, team building and platform selection so that robotic surgery can be integrated where it provides the most value, ensuring sustainability and equitable access.