Robotic Surgery

Brookings Health System offers advanced robotic procedures across three main specialties: general surgery (like gallbladder or hernia repairs), gynecological surgery, and orthopedic surgery (including Mako robotic-arm assisted knee and hip joint replacements).

Robotic surgery is minimally invasive and generally results in smaller incisions, less post-operative pain, reduced risk of infection, and minimal blood loss. For patients, these clinical advantages typically translate to a shorter hospital stay and a significantly faster return to daily activities.

Brookings Health System has been a leader in rural robotic surgery since February 2013, when we became the first rural community hospital in South Dakota to introduce da Vinci surgery. We expanded our program in 2018 with Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery and continuously upgrade to the newest technologies.

Your surgeon is 100% in control of the robotic system throughout the entire procedure. The robotic system does NOT perform surgery independently or automatically; instead, it serves as an advanced tool that allows the surgeon to operate with enhanced precision, specialized instruments, and high-definition 3D visualization.