Hansol Hospital, a colorectal specialty hospital designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, announced Sept. 3 that it has completed 200 robotic surgeries approximately eight months after deploying the state-of-the-art da Vinci SP (Single Port) robotic system in January. The milestone represents an average of 25 robotic operations per month.
A breakdown of the 200 cases shows that gallbladder disease surgeries, including treatments for gallstones and gallbladder polyps, accounted for the single largest share at 67 cases. Hernia procedures formed the second-largest group with 96 total cases, comprising 59 standard hernia operations and 37 umbilical hernia repairs. Additionally, surgeons performed 31 sacral colpopexy procedures to correct pelvic organ prolapse, including rectal prolapse. The hospital also demonstrated stable outcomes in high-complexity cases, executing four cancer surgeries and two colectomies to remove portions of the colon.
Building on Two Decades of Minimally Invasive Innovation
Hospital officials attribute this rapid adoption rate to minimally invasive capabilities accumulated over more than 20 years since opening its laparoscopic surgery center in 2001. Hansol Hospital introduced single-incision laparoscopic surgery performed through the navel in 2012, adopted the multi-jointed "ArtiSential" mini-robot in March 2023—surpassing 300 cases by June 2024—and passed 5,000 single-incision laparoscopic hernia surgeries in August 2024. Following the delivery of the da Vinci SP system on Dec. 20 last year, surgeons began operations in January, integrating the platform into their established technical workflow. In December 2024, the Ministry of Health and Welfare selected Hansol Hospital as a specialized partner hospital for the structural transformation of advanced general hospitals.
Precision Technology and Expanded Clinical Applications
The da Vinci SP single-port system operates through a single incision, inserting a high-definition 3D camera and three articulated surgical instruments. These instruments maneuver flexibly at multiple angles within narrow anatomical spaces such as the pelvis or abdominal cavity, enabling precise dissection and suturing. By minimizing the incision site, the system reduces pain, bleeding, and complication risks, facilitating faster recovery.
Hansol Hospital applies the da Vinci SP across a wide spectrum of colorectal and abdominal conditions, including colon and rectal cancer, hernias, rectal prolapse, rectocele, cholecystectomy, and benign tumors. The hospital actively utilizes robotic surgery for high-risk patients facing elevated complication or recurrence risks, particularly in cholecystectomies, rectal prolapse, and rectocele procedures. Furthermore, the hospital presents its clinical findings through research papers in international journals and hosts a surgical observation program for visiting overseas medical personnel.
Hospital Director Lee Dong-geun—who served as president of the Korean Society of Coloproctology in 2011 and currently serves on its advisory committee—previously served as an assistant professor of surgery at Chosun University College of Medicine and an adjunct professor at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine. He completed advanced colorectal surgery training at a University of Toronto-affiliated hospital in Canada and at Hvidovre University Hospital in Denmark.
"Continuous research at our laparoscopic surgery center since 2001, along with our experience performing over 5,000 single-incision surgeries, provided a strong foundation for reaching 200 da Vinci SP cases so quickly," Lee said. "We will continue to provide safer and more precise surgery for high-risk and high-difficulty patients, further solidifying our position as a hub hospital for single-port robotic surgery in colorectal and abdominal diseases."
Looking ahead, Hansol Hospital plans to further expand the range of clinical conditions for which it applies the da Vinci SP system.
