L’AQUILA – The ASL 1 Avezzano – Sulmona – L’Aquila celebrates a year of extraordinary success for robotic surgery, recording a 50% increase in activities compared to 2023: in the first six months of 2024, 270 operations were performed, compared to 181 recorded in the same period last yearwith significant increases in several medical specialties.
“These data attest to ASL 1 as centre of excellence for robotic surgery. A result that is the result of constant commitment by general management, led by manager Ferdinando Romanoin improving the quality of the services offered and in keeping our structure at the forefront of medical technologies – explains the director of the surgical department of ASL 1, Dr. Mauro Favorites – The benefits for patients are evident: the use of robotic surgery guarantees less invasive interventions, reduces post-operative pain and shortens hospital stays”.
In particular, again compared to the first six months of last year, robotic surgery activity in Urology grew by 12%, going from 144 interventions in the first half of 2023 to 161 in the first half of 2024. The Gynecology, in the same period, kept the number of operations constant, with 13 operations in both years, in the January-June period. The sector that has seen the most significant increase is General surgerywith an increase of 300%: from 24 operations in the first half of 2023 to 96 in 2024 between the Hospital and University Surgery operating units.
Numbers that are even more relevant if we consider that the second surgical robot that ASL 1 was equipped with entered into operation in March of this year, therefore halfway through the reference period.
“The introduction of the second robot represented a turning point for our structure – adds the Dr. Luigi Panella, head of the operating block of the San Salvatore hospital in L’Aquila – We are now able to offer our patients an even higher level of care, especially in complex and delicate operations including prostatectomies, nephrectomies, hysterectomies and gastrointestinal tumor resections.”
L’Aquila stands out as the first center in the Abruzzo region to have two surgical robots, confirming itself at the forefront. Only five other healthcare companies in the central-south of the country can boast a similar resource. The first Da Vinci robot, in use in the ASL since 2017, continues to be used daily in the operating room, operating at its maximum capacity.
