NKUA / Aretaieio University Hospital: Inauguration of the first robotic surgical system in a Greek University Hospital

The da Vinci robotic surgery system, a flexible surgical system that sets a new standard in minimally invasive care, was inaugurated on Friday, 24 May 2024. That is the first robotic surgery system ever installed in a Greek University Hospital, allowing for an increased variety of procedures, of mainly general, urological, gynaecological, and thoracic nature. It will be freely available to all patients in Greece and serve as a training resource for students at the NKUA’s School of Medicine, residents from the Departments of Surgery, and general surgeons.

The ceremony took place at the Maggineio Amphitheatre of Aretaieio Hospital in the presence of the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, the Minister of Health, Mr Adonis Georgiadis, the Deputy Ministers of Health, Messrs Dimitris Vartzopoulos and Marios Themistocleous, and the Secretary General for Higher Education, Professor Emeritus Odysseus Zoras. The Rector of NKUA, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, addressed the event and welcomed the audience. Also addressing the event—after the official guests—were the Dean of the NKUA’s School of Health Sciences, Professor Emmanouil Pikoulis, the Chair of the NKUA’s School of Medicine, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos, the President of Aretaieio Hospital, Professor Konstantinos Tsioufis, the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mr Panagiotis Bakas, and the Director of the 2^nd Department of Surgery at Aretaieio Hospital —the home to the new robotic surgery system da Vinci—Professor Manousos Konstantoulakis.

The installation of the da Vinci robotic surgical system at Aretaieio University Hospital lays the groundwork for patients in Greece to enjoy free access to robotic surgery, i.e., to rapid application of treatment with the most accurate practices and the most appropriate minimally invasive surgery available worldwide.

The entire project adds to an endeavour launched by the Greek Government and the NKUA’s School of Medicine to reduce inequalities in Health and Education. Public health needs investments and vision if we are to achieve early diagnosis and effective treatment, particularly of cancer, which Aretaieio University Hospital specializes in.

NKUA seeks to provide equal access to innovation for patients and high-quality education for students and doctors. Innovation and the introduction of technology can lead to significant measurable benefits for both public health and education.

In his address, the Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, stressed the following:

‘It is with great joy that I welcome you to today’s ceremony for the inauguration of the innovative robotic surgery system at the Aretaieio Hospital, the first such system in a Greek University Hospital. This is a moment that fills us all with pride and enthusiasm.

We are witnessing today a significant step forward for the NKUA’s School of Medicine with the adoption of a pioneering robotic system.

The installation and launch of this robotic system are the result of an effort made by Aretaieio Hospital, its Ephorate, the School of Medicine, and the Rectorial Authorities of NKUA, and take our Institution to the forefront of medical innovation. This historic University Hospital, as a research centre of excellence, provides the perfect setting for realizing the full potential of this technology for the benefit of the patients.

The foundation of Aretaieio Hospital, as we all know, by the beginning of the 20^th century, while Greece was still territorially limited, gave a great impetus to University Medical Education in our country.

Thousands of medical students, who later became doctors and practiced in our country or distinguished themselves abroad, trained at Aretaieio Hospital. From the beginning, the Hospital has delivered, and continues to do so, health services of the highest quality and has enjoyed the recognition of the community at large.

That is why our gratitude to Theodoros Aretaios and all subsequent benefactors and donors who followed in the footsteps of the Hospital’s founder will be eternal.

We are proud that Aretaieio Hospital adopts this innovative technology and, after over 120 years of uninterrupted presence, the first University Hospital in Greece continues to pioneer education, research, and high-quality health care.

The da Vinci X is a fourth-generation robotic surgery system that improves surgical precision and safety, provides access to specialized therapies, and creates new opportunities for training and learning.

With its new robotic system in place, Aretaieio Hospital strengthens its educational role, offering medical students and doctors in Greece the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new technologies and train in modern surgical techniques. The 2^nd Department of Surgery, the 2^nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, as well as faculty members across the NKUA’s Departments of Surgery will be able, thanks to the robotic system, to provide their patients with surgical procedures of even higher quality and safety, while people from all walks of life will now have access to robotic surgery, which, in practice, means reduced inequalities in health.

Ladies and gentlemen,

With the firm conviction that any effort to strengthen the structures and infrastructures of NKUA brings our University and our country to the international forefront of science and, therefore, has multiple benefits for public health and public Higher Education—on behalf of the Rectorial Authorities of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of this important project.

Aretaieio and Aiginiteio University Hospitals, which I have been following closely since 2019, are on a path of developing new structures, units, and novel services for patients and, at this point, we cannot but thank the Greek State, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Health that continue to support the University Hospitals and our School of Medicine.

I express my complete trust in the capabilities of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the first public University in our country and a driving force for progress and development!

We are working together to create a future where health and education are top priorities, and innovation propels advancement.

Thank you.’