Patients in central Alberta are gaining greater access to advanced surgical care closer to home with the introduction of robotic-assisted surgery at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC).
The da Vinci surgical system, acquired through a $3.5-million donation from the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation, has been in use at RDRHC since May.
The technology provides surgeons with enhanced visualization, precision and control, supporting minimally invasive procedures and expanding the hospital’s ability to provide specialized surgical care.
“Robotic-assisted surgery is an important addition to our surgical program. It gives our teams another tool to provide high-quality, specialized care to patients in central Alberta,” said urologist Dr. Stephanus Van Zyl.
“We are excited about the opportunities this technology creates for our patients, our surgical teams and the future of surgery at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.”
Since the program began, four surgeons have completed over 80 robotic-assisted procedures, primarily prostate and kidney surgeries.
Additional surgeons are currently training on the technology, with RDRHC exploring other procedures that could benefit from robotic-assisted surgery.
AHS said robotic-assisted surgery offers the benefits of minimally invasive procedures for patients, including less pain following surgery and shorter hospital stays.
There are seven robotic-assisted surgery systems actively doing surgery in Alberta, while 16,725 robotic-assisted surgeries have been performed in Alberta from 2009 to 2025.
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