The Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital said Wednesday that its Robotic Surgery Center recently introduced the fourth-generation da Vinci Xi Surgical System, bringing its total to five da Vinci robotic surgery devices.

Robotic surgery allows for precise surgery, resulting in fewer surgical complications and faster recovery compared to open or laparoscopic surgery.

The fourth-generation da Vinci Xi system is the most commonly used robotic surgical device. It can be widely utilized in various clinical departments, including complex cancer surgery and surgery for various diseases.

The new equipment was installed in a dedicated surgical room. On Monday, the hospital said that Professor Song Kyo-young, head of the Robotic Surgery Center, successfully performed surgery on a stomach cancer patient using the newly introduced fourth-generation da Vinci Xi robotic surgery machine.

With this addition, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital operates five robotic surgical machines -- four da Vinci Xi robotic surgical machines and one SP (Single Port) robotic surgical machine. The hospital expects to shorten patient waiting time from consultation to surgery as much as possible, resulting in faster recovery and higher patient satisfaction.

By operating the da Vinci Xi and SP simultaneously, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital said it will provide the most specialized and customized treatment for patient lesions and will apply them to various surgical areas, including urology, gynecology, surgery, otolaryngology, and thoracic surgery, to lead the way in patient recovery.

A blessing ceremony was held in the operating room on the fifth floor of the hospital’s main building presided over by the Vice President for Spiritual Affairs, Father Won Young-hoon, with the participation of the hospital's president, Dr. Yoon Seung-kyu, Dr. In Yong, vice president for medical affairs, Father Lee Nam, vice president for administration, Sister Park Hyun-sook, vice president for nursing, Dr. Song Kyo-young, director of the Robotic Surgery Center, and Kim Yoon-sook, director of nursing, as well as the robotic surgery center's medical staff, surgical nursing team, and other collaborating divisions.

“Seoul St. Mary's Hospital has become a mecca for robotic surgery,” Professor Song said. “Now that we have the opportunity to perform more up-to-date surgeries on our patients, we will continue to develop further to achieve more results, take the lead in patient care, and introduce new machines.”