When it comes to surgery, a small incision can make a big difference. That’s one reason Montage Health recently made a major investment in robot-assisted surgery, which allows many procedures to be performed through smaller incisions that can result in a faster recovery with less pain, bleeding, scarring, and infection risk.
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula just replaced two da Vinci Xi surgical systems with three da Vinci 5 systems, the newest generation of robot-assisted surgery technology. The new systems give our surgeons more advanced tools for minimally invasive surgery while adding capacity, so more patients can receive robot-assisted surgery locally. The technology can also help Montage Health recruit surgeons who train on advanced robotic systems during residency and medical school, helping to bring more doctors to the area.
The expansion is part of Montage Health Foundation’s commitment to invest $6 million–$9 million per year over the next several years in upgrades to Community Hospital’s surgical suites, all made possible by community donations and philanthropic partnerships.
What is robot-assisted surgery?
The surgeon, not the robot, performs the operation.
Instead of standing over the patient and manipulating traditional surgical instruments by hand, the surgeon sits at a console in the operating room. Looking into an immersive viewer, the surgeon sees a highly detailed, magnified three-dimensional view of the surgical area. Hand-control devices translate the surgeon’s motions into precise movements of the robot’s tiny instruments at the surgical site, while foot controls allow the surgeon to adjust the camera and other functions without breaking focus.
A surgical team remains at the patient’s side throughout the operation.
“What I love about robot-assisted surgery is how much it expands what I’m able to see and do,” says Harsha Mittakanti, MD, a Montage Medical Group urologist and Montage Health’s medical director of robot-assisted surgery. “That level of visualization and control gives me an extra layer of support during complex procedures. When robot-assisted surgery is the right approach for a patient and we see an excellent outcome, that’s very rewarding.”
What makes da Vinci 5 different?
Da Vinci 5
Da Vinci 5 builds on the Xi systems already familiar to Montage Health’s surgical teams with substantial technology upgrades. It includes more than 150 design innovations, improvements in surgeon ergonomics and controls, enhanced 3D imaging, expanded data capabilities, and significantly greater computing power.
One of the biggest changes is “force feedback” technology, which allows surgeons to feel subtle pushing and pulling forces on tissue through the hand controls. In studies, surgeons applied up to 43 percent less force to tissue when using Force Feedback.
Da Vinci 5 is also designed to keep evolving. Its expanded computing power allows new capabilities to be added through software updates, so as Montage Health’s robot-assisted surgery program grows to accommodate more procedures, da Vinci expands with it.
Conditions treated with robot-assisted surgery at Montage Health
General and bariatric surgery
- Colon removal
- Gallbladder removal
- Hernia repair
- Weight-loss surgery
Gynecology
- Abnormal or heavy bleeding
- Cancer
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Ovarian cysts or masses
- Pelvic prolapse
Thoracic surgery
Urology
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Ureteral cancer
- Urinary blockages
- Urinary reconstruction
Expanding local robot-assisted healthcare technology
Montage Health is home to the largest robot-assisted surgery program on California’s Central Coast and the only one in the region offering robot-assisted thoracic surgery. Beyond da Vinci, Montage Health recently began offering high-intensity focused ultrasound for certain patients with localized prostate cancer, using precisely targeted ultrasound energy to destroy cancerous tissue without incisions. And beginning in spring 2027, Montage Health plans to add an Ion robotic bronchoscopy system, which uses advanced technology to help doctors detect lung cancer.
Watch the story on KSBW.
Is robot-assisted surgery right for me?
If you or someone you care about is preparing for surgery, your surgeon can help you understand whether robot-assisted surgery may be an option and what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.
Explore robot-assisted surgery
