MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Using two tiny mechanical claws, community members tested out Skagit Regional Health’s new robotic surgery system by unwrapping Starburst candies and moving around mini-rubber rings.
Skagit Regional Health will begin offering surgeries aided by the robotic system in September.
“With this instrument, I can do really complex surgeries and stay minimally invasive,” surgeon Joel Dean said.
The system is so precise, users can write their names on a grain of rice with it, Director of Marketing and Communications Kari Ranten said.
It also offers other perks, such as the ability to check organs for blood flow during surgery, Dean said.