National Taiwan University Hospital uses single-port robotic system for surgery

台大醫院採用單孔機器人系統進行手術

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Taiwan University Hospital announced Sunday it has introduced the Da Vinci single-port robotic system for surgeries and established an innovative surgery center as part of its smart healthcare initiatives.

Developed by Intuitive Surgical, the minimally invasive platform performs complex procedures through a single incision of about 2.5 centimeters, aiming to reduce patient trauma, shorten recovery time, and improve cosmetic results.

Liang Jin-tung (梁金銅), a colorectal surgeon at NTUH, said traditional multi-port robotic surgery uses three robotic arms and one camera, requiring four incisions for access, plus additional incisions for suction and waste tissue removal, per CNA.

By contrast, the single-port system requires only two small incisions for all functions, with the primary incision barely visible after healing. Liang said the system is best suited for localized conditions that can be directly removed, while multi-port surgery may be preferable for widespread disease such as advanced cancers.

Wu Yao-ming (吳耀銘), deputy director of the hospital’s cancer center, said NTUH has performed more than 9,000 robotic procedures since introducing its first surgical robot in 2012. Urology accounts for 42% of cases, followed by gynecology and colorectal surgery at 13% each, liver and gallbladder procedures at 11%, chest surgeries at 8%, and heart surgeries at 6%.

Robotics have been applied to complex operations such as valve repair, treatment for thickened heart muscle, living liver donation, tumor removal, and esophagus reconstruction. Wu added that fully autonomous robotic surgery could become possible in the future.

Since September, the National Health Insurance Administration has allocated NT$285 million (US$9.75 million) to cover the cost of 46 types of robotic surgeries, including seven for uterine diseases and procedures to treat obesity linked to chronic conditions. The program is expected to benefit about 8,400 individuals annually.