First single-port thoracic procedure via da Vinci SP robotic system performed in Utah
Oct 28, 2025, 6:18 PM | Updated: 6:45 pm
Brian Mitzman stands next to the da Vinci SP robotic system, which helped him complete the first single-port thoracic procedure. (Huntsman Cancer Institute)
(Huntsman Cancer Institute)
SALT LAKE CITY — Another honor can be bestowed upon the name of da Vinci. Specifically, the da Vinci SP robotic system.
Brian Mitzman, MD, MS, FACS, FCCP, thoracic surgeon and Medical Director of Robotic Surgery at the University of Utah Department of Surgery, just performed the first single-port thoracic procedure using the robotic system.
“We are at the epicenter of robotic surgery,” Mitzman said. “Our surgeons are not only performing these procedures but also teaching other doctors at cancer centers around the country how to use this technology.”
Thoracic surgeries involve doctors cutting into a patient’s upper abdomen to repair damage in the lungs, heart, esophagus or diaphragm. With traditional surgery, these procedures would often utilize large incisions to allow doctors access to the organ or organs being treated, leading to longer recovery periods.
However, according to the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute website, “most robotic surgeries allow for shorter hospital stays and quicker returns to daily life, thanks to their minimally invasive nature.”
The surgeries performed by the da Vinci SP robotic system were originally performed to benefit head and neck cancer patients. As the technology advanced, additional cancers could be treated, including colorectal, urologic and thoracic cancers.
The University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute website detailed the benefits of robotic surgery, including:
- Smaller incisions.
- Shorter recovery times.
- Less pain and scarring.
- Fewer complications.
- Quicker surgery.
- Less time under anesthesia.
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