Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital Surpasses 1,500 Urologic Robotic Surgeries

Achievement Reached 16 Years After First Robotic Surgery Introduced in 2010

High-Quality Treatment Proven Locally Without Needing to Travel to Seoul

Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital has achieved a significant milestone in the field of urologic cancer treatment.

On April 27, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital announced that its Department of Urology has performed 1,500 cases of urologic robotic surgery using the da Vinci robotic surgery system. This achievement comes 16 years after the hospital first introduced robotic surgery to the Honam region in 2010, marking the first time this milestone has been reached by a single medical department in the area.

Professor Dongdeuk Kwon is performing Da Vinci Xi robotic surgery. Provided by Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital.

This accomplishment is seen as evidence that patients in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions can undergo complex urologic cancer surgeries without needing to travel to the Seoul metropolitan area.

The hospital began performing robotic prostate cancer surgeries in 2010 and has steadily increased its number of related procedures. In particular, the adoption of the latest da Vinci Xi equipment in 2019 led to a rapid rise in the number of surgeries performed.

The annual number of surgeries grew to 266 in 2021, 290 in 2022, and 288 in 2023, approaching 300 cases per year. After a temporary decrease in 2024, the number recovered to 254 cases in 2025, continuing a stable trend.

In addition, in 2023, the hospital introduced the da Vinci SP system, which enables single-port surgery—allowing procedures to be performed through a single small incision. This has expanded both the range of surgical options and the precision of operations.

The medical team has also expanded. With the addition of Professor Lim Dokyeong in 2026, joining Professors Dongdeuk Kwon, Seungil Jeong, and Uichang Hwang, the department now has a four-surgeon system. A notable feature is that the team has accumulated surgical experience collectively, rather than relying on any one individual surgeon.

Another characteristic of these 1,500 cases is that they were not concentrated on a single type of surgery. Prostate cancer surgeries accounted for approximately 59% of procedures, but partial nephrectomies for kidney cancer made up around 28% as well.

Partial nephrectomy is a challenging procedure that involves removing only the cancerous portion while preserving as much healthy kidney tissue as possible. The precise movements required for robotic surgery are particularly crucial in this area, making it a key indicator of the hospital's surgical expertise.

Additionally, the hospital has performed more than 60 cases of complex retroperitoneal surgeries such as adrenalectomy, further building its experience. Recently, the scope of single-port (SP) robotic surgery has expanded, improving both patient recovery times and postoperative satisfaction.

Professor Uichang Hwang, head of the Department of Urology, stated, "Reaching 1,500 cases is not just a number; it is the result of the dedication of our medical staff and collaborative care teams for patient treatment. We will continue to provide the best possible robotic surgeries tailored to each patient."

At present, the Department of Urology at Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital operates both the da Vinci Xi and SP systems, offering robotic surgeries customized to each patient's condition. Based on this, the hospital expects to establish a stable system capable of performing more than 300 surgeries annually.

Hospital Director Wan-Sik Lee remarked, "This achievement demonstrates that high-quality treatment is fully possible even in local regions. We will continue to strengthen our robotic surgery environment moving forward."

The Department of Urology at Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital operates both the da Vinci Xi and SP systems, providing robotic surgeries tailored to each patient's condition. The department is expected to maintain a stable system capable of performing more than 300 surgeries each year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.