Lee Health Continues to Advance its Innovative Robotic Program; Brings First ExcelsiusGPS® Robot to Southwest Florida

(Fort Myers, Fla. – April 14, 2022) — Lee Health announces a first of its kind robotic surgery in Southwest Florida for minimally-invasive spine and brain procedures.

Lee Health has added the ExcelsiusGPS^® Robot to its robotic-assisted surgery program, which features the most advanced technology in the field of robotic surgery.

The ExcelsiusGPS^® is the world’s first revolutionary robotic navigation platform combining a rigid robotic arm and full navigation capabilities into one adaptable platform for accurate alignment in spine surgery.

The new robot allows surgeons at Lee Health to provide the most up-to-date technology and skills to patients who need neurosurgery. Because the procedure is minimally-invasive, patients generally experience less pain after surgery, have a quicker recovery and shorter length of stay in the hospital, and need less medication.

The procedure is performed entirely by a surgeon who controls the ExcelsiusGPS^®system. The instrument size on the robot makes it possible for surgeons to operate through one or a few small incisions. Also, the instruments are designed to give surgeons greater reach during surgery.

Surgeons are able to use the ExcelsiusGPS^® to perform spinal surgery and procedures on the brain, including brain tumor removal, biopsies, placement of catheters, blood clot removal, and managing symptoms of tremors.

“We are proud to bring this cutting-edge technology to Southwest Florida, so our patients can get the care they need close to home,” said Dr. Michael Fromke, neurosurgeon and Lee Health’s system medical director of the neuroscience service line. “Robotic-assisted surgery is a huge benefit to our patients at Lee Health, and by adding the ExcelsiusGPS^® to our program, fewer patients will have to leave the region to get this type of surgery.”

In addition to the ExcelsiusGPS^®, Lee Health’s robotic-assisted surgery program also features the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, which is designed to help surgeons perform minimally-invasive surgeries, such as colorectal surgeries and unique surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, ear nose and throat and general surgery.

Since Lee Health began bolstering its robotics program, the health system has added da Vinci robots to all of its four acute-care hospitals, bringing the total number of machines from two to six.

Also, Lee Health tapped Dr. Fia Yi, a leader in the robotics medical field with more than a decade of specialized surgical experience, to serve as medical director of the System Robotics Program, a position that was created earlier this year to help grow the innovative program.