Cluj Oncology Institute completes 100 robot-assisted operations

The “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuță” Oncology Institute in Cluj-Napoca has completed its 100th robot-assisted surgical procedure. The operation was performed on a 59-year-old woman diagnosed with rectal cancer by a team led by Dr Cătălin Vlad, the institute’s manager.

The announcement was published on Monday, October 12, on the institute’s Facebook page. According to the institution, the milestone marks the consolidation of a programme combining investment in technology with team training and the development of surgical services for patients with cancer.

Team training and collaboration across specialties

Cătălin Vlad emphasised that developing the programme involves providing the conditions needed to use the technology, alongside continuing staff training and multidisciplinary collaboration.

“Our goal was not simply to bring new technology into a hospital. We set out to build a sustainable medical programme based on professionalism, continuous training and multidisciplinary collaboration,” the institute’s manager said.

In his view, the 100 procedures reflect the team’s accumulated experience and the development of the institute’s capacity to treat complex cancer cases.

“This 100th operation is also the result of the work of an extraordinary team, which has demonstrated that excellence is built through competence, discipline, collaboration and dedication,” Cătălin Vlad said.

Institute plans to continue developing the programme

The institute’s management intends to continue developing robotic surgery, investing in team training and expanding access to these procedures for patients with cancer. The announcement presents the completion of 100 operations as a stage in the programme’s development, within the institution’s wider strategy to modernise its medical services.

What robot-assisted surgery involves

In robot-assisted surgery, the surgeon controls surgical instruments from a console using a system that transmits images of the operating field. The robotic arms carry out movements commanded by the surgeon, while decisions and the conduct of the operation remain the responsibility of the medical team.

According to the FDA’s description of computer-assisted surgical systems, these devices allow certain procedures to be performed through small incisions using instruments controlled by the surgeon.