ROBOTIC SURGERY IN THE ROMANIAN HEALTH SYSTEM

I. Slavu; V. Braga; A. Kraft; A. Kraft; L. Alecu

doi:10.33695/jss.v3i1.38

I. Slavu The General Surgery Department, “Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu” Emergency Clinical Hospital
V. Braga The General Surgery Department, “Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu” Emergency Clinical Hospital
A. Kraft The General Surgery Department, “Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu” Emergency Clinical Hospital
A. Kraft The General Surgery Department, “Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu” Emergency Clinical Hospital
L. Alecu The General Surgery Department, “Prof. Dr. Agrippa Ionescu” Emergency Clinical Hospital

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33695/jss.v3i1.38

Keywords: Da Vinci, robotic surgery, health system

Abstract

Robotic surgery appeared in the Romanian health system in 2008 with the purchase of the first two
surgical robots. One of them belonged to “Dan Setlacec” Center of General Surgery and Liver
Transplantation - Fundeni and the second to Floreasca Emergency Clinical Hospital. Funding was
provided by the Ministry of Health special program. Since the first year of operation by the robotic
system, the Fundeni Center has performed about 200 interventions. A key objective of the program
was to identify the interventions that are cost efficient, i.e., around 9,000 RON for each surgical
intervention. Subsequently, another 7 robotic systems were put into operation, out of which three
are in urology and four in general surgery. Given the high cost of consumables and post-warranty
maintenance, the operation of these robotic systems could only be done through the national health
system, or private sector. The operation of the program allowed for an annual limited number of
cases, and since 2013 the program funding has ceased. During this period, a significant experience
was gained using robotic surgery in general surgery, urology and gynecology as well.

ROBOTIC SURGERY IN THE ROMANIAN HEALTH SYSTEM

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Abstract