El Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital has taken a new step in robotic surgery with the incorporation of Da Vinci SP robot (Single Port)This system allows surgery through a single incision and is already considered one of the most advanced pieces of equipment available in the Spanish public healthcare system. This technology... minimally invasive surgery It seeks to reduce the impact of the intervention on the patient and improve their recovery.
The arrival of this device, which has meant a investment close to 2,8 million euros, places Valdecilla among the Spain's only three public hospitals which have the Single Port model, along with the Catalan hospitals of Bellvitge and Sant Pau. With its implementation, the Cantabrian center consolidates a robotic surgery program that has been operating since 2010 and has become a benchmark both within and outside the country.
A single point of entry for more precise surgery
El Da Vinci SP It differs from previous models because It houses three articulated instruments and a high-definition 3D camera in a single robotic arm. The entire assembly is inserted through a single surgical port, which, in practice, translates into an incision of about 2,5 centimeters or even through access via natural orifices, depending on the type of intervention.
This configuration allows a far superior maneuverability inside the patient's body, with fine and stable movements controlled from a console located a few meters from the operating table. For the surgeon, this means working with an enlarged, three-dimensional view and with greater precision than in conventional laparoscopy, where the instruments have less articulation.
In clinical practice, these characteristics translate into less aggression on tissuesThis is especially relevant in anatomically complex or difficult-to-access areas. Thanks to the Single Port, new possibilities are opening up in fields that previously faced greater barriers to benefiting from robotics, such as certain surgical procedures. Otolaryngology or in Maxillofacial Surgery, in addition to complex urological procedures.
Health authorities and professionals emphasize that the change is not only technological, but also in the way interventions are planned and implemented. reduction in the number of incisions It allows for more conservative surgeries from an aesthetic and functional point of view, something that patients increasingly value when comparing treatment alternatives.
Less pain, fewer complications, and faster discharge
One of the great strengths of this new robot lies in the impact it has on the patient experienceBy operating through a single incision, trauma to the abdominal wall or the operated area is reduced, which in turn leads to less postoperative pain and a reduced need for pain relief in the days following surgery.
Concentrating access at a single point is also associated with a lower risk of infectionsince there are fewer wounds to monitor and treat. Furthermore, the scars are smaller and more discreetThis is an aspect that, while not the main one, increasingly weighs on the perception of quality of care by users, especially in young patients or in visible interventions.
Another key advantage is the faster recoveryThe teams at Valdecilla Hospital point out that many patients will be able to get up sooner, walk in less time, and return to their normal activities sooner than with open surgery. In some selected cases, the possibility of [further surgery] is even being considered. discharge on the same day as the operation, something unthinkable not so many years ago for certain procedures.
These benefits not only impact individual well-being, but also the organization of the hospital itselfShorter stays, fewer complications, and better use of resources allow for optimizing the capacity of operating rooms and reducing waiting lists, provided that there are trained teams and professionals available to handle the increased activity.
Three Da Vinci robots and more than 5.000 robotic surgeries
With the addition of the Single Port, Valdecilla now has three Da Vinci surgical robotsThe Xi, X, and now the SP models. This equipment puts the hospital on par with leading European centers in terms of robotic capacity, and allows schedule more interventions without depending on a single team.
TAI-certified Robotic surgery in Cantabria It started in 2010 and, since then, the hospital has already carried out more than 5.000 operations with this technologyIn the last year alone, these were carried out 718 robotic surgeries, a figure that reflects the constant growth of this modality and its progressive incorporation into daily practice.
Having several robots operating in parallel allows different specialties to access the technology without having to concentrate all activity in a single service. According to the center's management, the new equipment will allow to better distribute the workloadto plan schedules with more leeway and offer this type of surgery to a greater number of patients who meet the clinical criteria.
Authorities have highlighted that this established track record is one of the reasons why Valdecilla has achieved the recognition of having, according to the regional government, the “Europe’s most comprehensive” robotic surgery program In the field of public health, a title that relies on both the installed technology and the accumulated results.
A clearly multi-specialty model
Unlike other hospitals that concentrate robotic surgery in a single area, Valdecilla has opted from the beginning for a multi-specialty model. At present, Six services use Da Vinci robotsGeneral Surgery, Urology, GynecologyOtolaryngology, Thoracic Surgery and Maxillofacial Surgery.
This approach allows the benefits of the technique to be extended to very different pathologies, from urological or gynecological tumors to certain head and neck surgeries or complex thoracic interventions. The introduction of the Single Port further expands this range, especially in areas with reduced workspacewhere the articulation of the instruments and the 3D vision make a noticeable difference.
For clinical teams, working in this type of environment promotes collaboration between specialties and the design of joint care circuits. It's not the same to have a robot assigned to a single service as it is to share it among several experienced areas, something that requires coordination but also generates a critical mass of professionals accustomed to the technology.
In practice, this way of organizing the activity means that robotic surgery ceases to be something anecdotal or reserved for a few procedures and becomes a a real option for many patients provided the indication is appropriate and the case allows it.
European leadership and the role of public health
The president of Cantabria, Maria Jose Saenz de BuruagaThe Health Minister, César Pascual, and the hospital management emphasized during the presentation that the incorporation of the Da Vinci SP is a “Strategic bet” to maintain leadership Valdecilla in advanced surgery. In his opinion, this type of equipment reinforces the role of the public healthcare as a guarantor of access to cutting-edge technologies at no added cost to the patient.
The regional government maintains that this purchase should not be understood as a one-off expense, but as “an investment with an immense return in health”since it directly influences the quality of care, clinical safety, and medium- and long-term outcomes. The institutional message emphasizes that technology is a structural factor of the health system, at the same level as human resources or the organization of care.
During the visit, it was also emphasized that the new robot arrives at a complex time for the healthcare sector, with professional demands and labor tensionsEven so, the event focused on the concrete effects that the incorporation of this equipment can have on patients and on the need to continue renewing the technological infrastructure in order not to lose ground compared to other European countries.
For the center's management, these types of decisions consolidate Valdecilla as "spearhead" in robotic surgery within the public system, by combining investment, accumulated experience and teaching capacity, three elements that do not always coincide in the same hospital.
A high-tech plan with relevant figures
The purchase of the Da Vinci SP is part of a broader modernization strategy of the Cantabrian healthcare system. Through the INVEAT Plan, around have been allocated 19,4 millones de euros to the renewal of high-tech equipment, such as magnetic resonance imaging, CT scans or linear accelerators, in recent years.
To that amount are added more than 9 million euros in high technology planned for 2024 and 2025, as well as almost 25 million in information systems and digital tools to improve clinical management and coordination between levels of care. Within this framework, the Da Vinci SP is one of the visible pieces of a broader technological investment.
Authorities insist that this financial effort aims not only to renew obsolete equipment, but also introduce technologies that change the way we work in hospitals. In that sense, robotic surgery is considered one of the areas with the greatest growth potential, both for its clinical benefits and for its ability to attract and retain professional talent.
This context explains why the incorporation of the Single Port is presented as a “milestone” for public health From Cantabria: it's not just about adding another device, but about reinforcing a line of work in which the community has been investing for 15 years.
Training center and international benchmark in robotic surgery
In addition to its healthcare activity, Valdecilla has established itself as a robotic surgery training center reference. Through the Valdecilla Virtual Hospital and of specific programs, more than 500 surgeons from different countries and numerous nursing professionals from all over Spain have visited their facilities to train in these techniques.
The teaching methodology combines Advanced simulation, progressive training, and direct supervision In the operating room, this approach is considered key to ensuring the technology is used safely. The new Da Vinci SP will allow for the expansion of this training offering, incorporating specific modules on Single Port management and its technical features.
During the presentation, the hospital manager, Félix Rubialinsisted that “Technology, without expert hands, is useless.”She emphasized the “generosity” of professionals who dedicate part of their time to training colleagues from other centers. From her point of view, sharing knowledge is a form of extending the benefits of robotic surgery to more patients, even outside of Cantabria.
The role of specialists such as the urologist was also highlighted. Mario Dominguez and other heads of service involved in the program, who have participated in the Implementation and demonstration of the new robotThis combination of clinical and teaching profiles is, according to management, one of the keys that explain why Valdecilla is viewed "with admiration" in the rest of the country in this field.
The Da Vinci SP enters the operating room
After an initial phase of testing and demonstrations, the Single Port will begin to be used with patients in the coming daysIn this first stage, the procedures will be highly standardized and will be performed by teams with extensive prior experience in robotic surgery, to ensure a progressive and safe integration of the new system.
The first cases will be selected based on strict clinical criteriaWe are assessing which procedures can benefit most from the single incision and the greater articulation of the instruments. As the team's learning curve becomes more established, new indications will be incorporated and the number of specialties routinely using the SP will expand.
The hospital emphasizes that introducing this type of technology does not mean abandoning other established techniques. The idea is for robotic surgery to become... one more tool in the therapeutic arsenalwhich is used when it actually provides advantages over laparoscopy or open surgery, and not as an end in itself.
With the launch of the Da Vinci SP, Valdecilla reinforces a model in which the innovation, training and accumulated experience These techniques combine to offer less invasive procedures, shorter hospital stays, and improved surgical outcomes. All of this keeps the Cantabrian hospital in a leading position within the European public network for single-incision robotic surgery.