Peter Schorsch
Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is set to become the first health system in the Southeastern United States to offer the world’s most precise, first-of-its-kind robotic surgical technology.
As part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ trade mission to Italy, Tampa General and the University of South Florida (USF) entered an agreement with Medical Microinstruments (MMI) to bring the Symani Surgical System, which supports lymphatic surgery, to TGH.
“At Tampa General Hospital, we’ve invested in the latest technologies and recruited best-in-class providers to make Florida the destination for innovation in health care,” said John Couris, President and CEO of Tampa General.
“Now, with the support of Governor Ron DeSantis and our state leaders, we’re opening doors to new partnerships and introducing more of the world’s best technologies in health care to Florida. Because of these efforts, our patients can count on us for world-class care, better outcomes and a higher quality of life.”
The agreement was reached during a trade mission to Italy this week hosted by DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis. USF President Rhea Law formally signed the agreement with MMI during a special ceremony in Italy. Nicholas J. Panetta, Chief of Tampa General Hospital Plastic Surgery and Chair of the Department of Plastic Surgery in the Morsani College of Medicine, and Eduardo M. Sotomayor, Director of the TGH Cancer Institute, also joined the trade mission.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in today’s MOU signing,” Gov. DeSantis said. “Florida boasts the best in health care, medical technology, and innovation, and we will continue to support our businesses and hospitals in forging new paths and partnerships. This new robotic surgical technology will increase the quality of life for those battling or recovering from cancer and make procedures for Floridians more precise and less invasive.”
This new, cutting-edge surgical system is expected to enable more surgeons to perform complex procedures for delicate anatomy, restoring the quality of life for more patients. That’s because it uniquely addresses the scale and complexities of microsurgery and supermicrosurgery. The system features smaller robotic components coupled with enhanced controls so that surgeons can suture tiny vessels and nerves as small as 0.2 millimeters in diameter.
“This unique and exciting partnership brings together the very best from both academic medicine and private industry to achieve progress in health care for Floridians who otherwise would not have access to this innovative surgical system in our state,” Law said. “We are grateful to Governor DeSantis and our state leaders for their support in helping us improve lives and build a healthier future.”
What’s more, the surgical system offers a less invasive surgical treatment for reconstructions and lymphedema. Patients who utilize this technology can expect to experience reduced vessel trauma and require fewer additional procedures. The system will also accelerate the development of surgeons’ microsurgical skills and generate higher success rates while reducing complications.
The MMI Symani Surgical System is just the latest addition to Tampa General’s arsenal of state-of-the-art technologies that support minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Tampa General announced in August the acquisition of the new Intuitive da Vinci 5 Surgical System. This system provides surgeons with enhanced surgical precision, increased range of motion, enhanced visualization and makes it easier access to very confined areas of the body. As a result, surgeons can use a minimally invasive approach during urology, gynecology, thoracic and general surgeries.
