Robot aids surgery

Zhongshan Hospital successfully completed surgery on a 57-year-old patient to conduct eradication of rectum cancer, resection of liver metastases and lung metastases.

The surgery, performed on March 5, was the first such surgery completed with the help of the Da Vinci robotic surgical system, the hospital said in a press release Friday.

The Da Vinci robot, a cutting-edge minimally invasive surgical system, allows flexible operation and clear vision into a small space.

With the assistance of the Da Vinci robot, the hospital was able to combine three surgeries into a single procedure that will leave the patient with a shorter recovery time.