French Hospital Medical Center Introduces Most Advanced Robotic Surgery Capabilities to San Luis Obispo County

Dignity Health Central Coast's new robot will offer only technology of its kind between Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – September 6, 2018 – French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), a Dignity Health hospital, is pleased to introduce the recent acquisition of the innovative da Vinci® Xi™ Surgical System. The da Vinci Xi System was designed with the goal of further advancing the technology used in minimally invasive surgery. 

The system can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multi-quadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecology, gynecological oncology, urology, and general surgery.

By enabling efficient access throughout the abdomen or chest, the da Vinci Xi System expands upon core da Vinci System features, including wristed instruments, 3D-HD visualization, intuitive motion, and an ergonomic design. As with all da Vinci Surgical Systems, the surgeon is 100% in control of the robotic-assisted da Vinci System, which translates hand movements into smaller, more precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient’s body. The Xi System’s immersive 3D-HD vision system provides surgeons a highly magnified view, virtually extending their eyes and hands into the patient.

“French Hospital is nationally and locally recognized for our quality and exceptional care, and our most recent acquisition, the da Vinci® Xi™ Surgical System, further propels our minimally invasive surgical capabilities,” says French Hospital Medical Center President & CEO, Alan Iftiniuk. “We are eager to offer this innovative fourth-generation robotic technology, the only of its kind in San Luis Obispo County and undoubtedly the most advanced in the region, in order to best serve our patients and community.”

Key features of the new technology include:

• A new overhead instrument arm architecture designed to facilitate anatomical access from virtually any position
• A new endoscope digital architecture that creates a simpler, more compact design with improved vision definition and clarity
• An ability to attach the endoscope to any arm, providing flexibility for visualizing the surgical site
• Smaller, thinner arms with newly designed joints that offer a greater range of motion than ever before
• Longer instrument shafts to give surgeons greater operative reach

The da Vinci Xi System is an expandable technology platform that is designed to accommodate and seamlessly integrate a range of current technologies, as well as future innovations, in areas such as imaging, advanced instruments and anatomical access. 

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About French Hospital Medical Center
French Hospital Medical Center, located in San Luis Obispo, California, is rated among the top hospitals in the nation.  The Copeland, Forbes, and Rossi Cardiac Care Center provides the latest innovative cardiac and imaging technology, and is home to the Hearst Cancer Resource Center offering free education, resources and support to cancer patients and their families. French is a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA and St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, CA. Dignity Health Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services, including primary care offices, premier surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories, imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.