Mega Doctor News
For the last decade, South Texas Health System Edinburg – the first facility in the Rio Grande Valley to acquire the da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgical System – has helped improve patient outcomes in South Texas through its robotic surgery program.
The facility’s surgical services department, an accredited Center of Excellence in robotic, minimally invasive and hernia surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), has provided surgeons with greater dexterity and visualization to conduct gallbladder removal, hernia repair, colorectal surgery and other procedures, which has resulted in less pain, reduced hospital stays and faster recovery periods for patients.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the facility’s robotic surgery program, STHS Edinburg has officially procured the da Vinci 5 (DV5) Robotic Surgical System – the latest version of Intuitive Surgical’s award-winning surgical systems – to is fleet, adding to its two da Vinci Xi units.
The new DV5, delivered to the facility on Monday, June 16, builds upon previous da Vinci models with special advancements aimed at transforming surgery.
The recipient of the 2024 Australian Good Design of the Year Award, the DV5 features 150 innovations designed to improve precision, efficiency and patient outcomes. The advancements include first-of-its-kind force feedback technology, which measures tissue interaction and reduces excessive force and trauma; an improved vision system that provides a more realistic 3D image to the surgical team; and a more ergonomic console, as well as other improvements that streamline operations.
“STHS Edinburg is committed to improving patient outcomes by continually upgrading the tools that our surgeons utilize to perform minimally invasive procedures. Technology like the da Vinci 5 empowers them to effortlessly control every aspect of surgery through seamless integration while improving their levels of precision and allowing for greater preservation of healthy tissue during procedures,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg & STHS Children’s. “With this new da Vinci 5 unit, we will continue to build on the success of our robotic surgery program to continue providing high patient satisfaction, improved surgical outcomes and a quicker return to normal activity for our patients.”
Like its predecessor, the da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgical System, the DV5 uses small, precise incisions, resulting inless pain, minimal scarring and shorter recovery time for patients.
A pioneer in robotic surgery since 2015, STHS Edinburg has completed nearly 4,200 procedures with its two da Vinci Xi units. The facility is now looking forward to building on that momentum by offering more complex robotic surgical procedures across various specialties with its new da Vinci 5.
“The addition of the DV5 underscores STHS Edinburg’s dedication to bringing the highest level of quality, minimally invasive care to the people of the Rio Grande Valley,” says Ames. “It sets new benchmarks for efficiency and provides valuable insights with the aim of helping surgeons improve patient outcomes. STHS Edinburg is committed to investing in advanced technology like the DV5, so that our patients don’t have to travel outside the region to receive world-class care.”
Following training sessions with the surgical services team, STHS Edinburg’s DV5 is expected to be fully operational by Thursday, June 19.
The facility’s DV5 is the second unit of its kind acquired by South Texas Health System. STHS McAllen, which obtained a DV5 in March 2025, has performed nearly 100 robotic surgeries to date with its unit.
For more on the surgical services offered at STHS Edinburg, visit STHSEdinburg.com.
Information Source: STHS
