Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital urologist Dr. Sevan Stepanian discussed the hospital’s new Da Vinci Surgical System and the benefits robotic assisted surgery brings to the community.

“I think it was a long time coming and for a lot of years we were losing patients out of the community to different hospitals where the robot was and certain types of surgeries were offered that we just did not have here,” Stepanian explained.

The new robotic assisted surgical system not only benefits the hospital but also the patients who no longer have to travel to hospitals outside of the Santa Clarita Valley to receive surgeries previously not available at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

Related: Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital: Outpatient Services

“Sometimes it’s a safety issue. If you’re at home and your physician is five minutes away, there is a sense of comfort,” Stepanian said. “Now we not only have the technology but we also have the surgeons that are well trained and know how to use the technology so we can offer it to the patients here. Patients do not need to go anywhere for their care, it’s great.”

Surgeons are now able to conduct more precise, minimally invasive, or laparoscopic surgeries with smaller incisions and quicker recovery times.

“The robot itself allows us to do what I think is a better surgery, so a more precise surgery, less bleeding, often times better surgical outcomes,” Stepanian continued. “In terms of recovery, getting patients out of the hospital sooner, getting patients back on their feet faster (and) back to their normal life, which i think is a huge gamechanger for us.”

Stepanian equates the Da Vinci Surgical System to a puppet, the puppet master being the surgeon, sitting a few feet away from the patient controlling the movements of the robot, which acts as the surgeon’s hands.

“There is a console that the surgeon sits in that is about six to seven feet away from the patient, and…the robot will dock to the patient. The surgeon will control the robot from that console,” Stepanian explained. “There are essentially handsets that our hands go into and then our wrist movements are mimicked within tiny little instruments that are inside the body.”   

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital is a 238-bed, not-for-profit community hospital and trauma center in Santa Clarita. The Henry Mayo Hospital emergency department is open 24-7 to provide critical life-saving services, with a panel of physicians available around the clock for critical healthcare needs. In addition, a number of specialized care services are also available, including a maternity department, community hospital cancer program, advanced primary stroke center, spine and joint program, acute rehab unit, cardiology services, outpatient wound care, physical and occupational therapies and a wide range of surgical services.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

23845 McBean Parkway

Valencia, CA 91355

661-253-8000

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

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Santa Clarita Hospital, Hospital in Santa Clarita, Henry Mayo, Henry Mayo Hospital, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Trauma Center in Santa Clarita