Robotic Surgery

At Tampa General Hospital’s Robotic Center of Excellence, surgical innovation begins with a commitment to putting patients first. Our advanced robotic surgery program combines leading-edge technology with the expertise of nationally recognized surgeons, offering a safer, more precise and more personalized surgical experience. With tools like the Intuitive da Vinci 5® Surgical System and the groundbreaking Symani® Surgical System, we deliver minimally invasive care designed to reduce pain, shorten recovery and help patients return to their lives sooner.

The Academic Difference in Robotic Surgery

Why Choose TGH: Proven Outcomes & Unmatched Experience

Tampa General Hospital is one of the region’s most experienced and fastest-growing robotic surgery centers. By the close of 2025, TGH had completed more than 20,000 robotic surgeries. As an academic medical center recognized for handling some of the nation’s most complex cases, our surgeons pair advanced training with world-class technology to deliver exceptional outcomes.

TGH is also accredited as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an internationally respected patient safety organization. This distinction reflects our unwavering commitment to quality, safety and efficiency, and reinforces why patients across Florida and beyond trust Tampa General for robotic surgical care. 

Explore the wide range of procedures and conditions treated through Tampa General's advanced robotic surgery program. Each category below highlights how our technology-driven approach supports greater precision, minimally invasive techniques and improved outcomes across multiple specialties. Select a tab to learn more about the specific procedures and conditions treated within each surgery type. 

Gynecologic Surgery

Gynecologic Surgery

Robotic Gynecologic Procedures

Gynecologic Conditions Treated

Our Robotic Surgery Team

Tampa General Hospital’s robotic surgery program is powered by a multidisciplinary team of nationally recognized surgeons, oncologists, nurses, anesthesiologists and surgical support specialists who work together to deliver the highest level of patient care at Florida's premier academic medical center. As a Robotic Center of Excellence partnered with USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, TGH brings together leaders in academic medicine across gynecologic and breast oncology, digestive diseases, urology, head and neck surgery, cardiac surgery, orthopedic surgery and plastic surgery—creating seamless collaboration for even the most complex cases.

Our robotic operating room nurses, physician assistants and surgical technicians are specially trained in robotic platforms. They receive ongoing education, including advanced training on new instruments and technologies, ensuring our teams remain at the forefront of surgical innovation.

Tampa General Hospital’s robotic surgery specialists have pioneered innovative techniques that attract clinicians from across the country and internationally. As a premier training site, physicians travel to Tampa General to gain hands-on training in these advanced methods, and our team also shares their expertise by teaching robotic surgery programs around the world.

Innovation & Technology

At Tampa General, innovation is central to our mission. Our robotic surgery program continues to evolve through the adoption of groundbreaking technologies that expand what’s possible in minimally invasive care. The MMI Symani® Surgical System brings unprecedented precision to microsurgery and supermicrosurgery, allowing surgeons to repair vessels and nerves as small as 0.2 millimeters—restoring function, improving quality of life and enabling complex reconstructions once considered out of reach.

Symani joins a robust suite of advanced tools that includes the region’s first Intuitive da Vinci 5® Surgical System, the latest evolution of a platform that has supported more than 15,000 procedures at TGH. With enhanced visualization, greater dexterity and unmatched precision, the da Vinci® system elevates minimally invasive surgery across urology, gynecology, thoracic and general surgery.

Tampa General also offers robotic-assisted bronchoscopy using the Ion system, an advanced, minimally invasive technology that allows physicians to navigate deep into the lungs with exceptional precision. Using an ultra-thin, flexible catheter guided by real-time imaging and a 3D map of the airways, physicians can reach and biopsy small, hard-to-access lung nodules without surgery. This innovative approach supports earlier, more accurate diagnosis while enhancing patient safety and comfort.

Your Questions About Robotic Surgery Answered

What Is Robot-Assisted Surgery?

Robot-assisted surgery is a minimally invasive approach in which a surgeon uses a robotic system to perform precise, controlled movements through small incisions.

How Does Robotic Surgery Work?

The surgeon operates from a console, guiding robotic instruments that translate their hand motions into highly accurate movements inside the body.

How Long Is Recovery After Robotic Surgery?

Recovery varies by procedure, but many patients experience less pain and return to normal activities faster than with traditional open surgery.

Comparing Robotic vs. Laparoscopic Surgery

Both are minimally invasive, but robotic surgery offers enhanced precision, articulation and 3D visualization that can improve accuracy in complex cases.

Robotic vs. Traditional Surgery

Robotic surgery uses small incisions and specialized technology for greater precision, while traditional open surgery requires larger incisions and longer recovery.

Is Robotic Surgery Safe?

Yes. Robotic surgery is widely considered safe when performed by trained surgeons and is supported by strong outcomes across many specialties.

Benefits of Robotic Surgery

Benefits include smaller incisions, reduced pain, lower complication risk and more precise surgical movements, which contribute to shorter hospital stays and faster overall recovery. 

Benefit From World-Class Care at TGH’s Robotic Center of Excellence

To learn more about robotic surgery at Tampa General or to explore whether a minimally invasive procedure is right for you, contact our team or speak with your provider about scheduling a consultation. We're here to help you access the most advanced surgical options available.

Prostate Surgery

Prostate Surgery

Robotic Prostate Procedures

  • Robotic radical prostatectomy
  • Robotic simple prostatectomy (for severe BPH)
  • Robotic pelvic lymph node dissection
  • Robotic prostate-sparing reconstruction (part of prostatectomy procedures)

Prostate Conditions Treated

  • Prostate cancer (localized or selected advanced cases)
  • Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with significant obstruction or large prostate
  • Urinary blockage caused by prostate enlargement
  • Prostate-related pelvic pain or complications requiring surgical management
Head and Neck Surgery

Head and Neck Surgery

 

Robotic Head and Neck Procedures

  • Single-port transoral robotic surgery (TORS)
  • Robotic removal of oropharyngeal tumors
  • Robotic base-of-tongue surgery
  • Robotic tonsil and tonsillar fossa tumor excision
  • Robotic supraglottic laryngectomy
  • Robotic thyroidectomy (in select cases)
  • Robotic parathyroidectomy (in select cases)
  • Microvascular free flap reconstruction (jaw, tongue, or throat reconstruction)
  • Lymphatic surgery to reduce lymphedema after head/neck cancer treatment
  • Nerve repair or nerve grafting following tumor removal
  • Reconstruction of small vessels in delicate areas

Head and Neck Conditions Treated

  • Oropharyngeal cancers (including HPV-related cancers)
  • Tongue-base tumors or lesions
  • Tonsillar cancer
  • Supraglottic laryngeal cancer
  • Benign tumors of the throat or tongue base
  • Obstructive sleep apnea (selected cases)
  • Thyroid and parathyroid tumors (select minimally invasive approaches) 
Gastrointestinal & Colorectal Surgery

Gastrointestinal & Colorectal Surgery

Robotic GI and Colorectal Procedures

  • Robotic colectomy (total or partial)
  • Robotic low anterior resection (LAR)
  • Robotic abdominoperineal resection (APR)
  • Robotic proctectomy
  • Robotic rectopexy for rectal prolapse
  • Robotic small bowel resection
  • Robotic gastrectomy (bariatric revisions in select cases)
  • Robotic hernia repair
  • Robotic cholecystectomy
  • Robotic colorectal polyp excision (complex or unresectable endoscopically)

GI and Colorectal Conditions Treated

Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac Surgery 

 

Robotic Cardiac Procedures

Cardiac Conditions Treated

Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedic Surgery

Robotic Orthopedic Procedures

Robotic Joint Replacement:

Robotic Spine Surgery:

  • Pedicle screw placement
  • Interbody fusion (TLIF/PLIF/XLIF) preparation
  • Minimally invasive decompression planning
  • Laminectomy

Orthopedic Conditions Treated

  • Osteoarthritis (knee, hip)
  • Post-traumatic arthritis
  • Avascular necrosis (hip)
  • Inflammatory arthropathy requiring joint replacement
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Scoliosis and deformity
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Vertebral fractures (stabilization)
  • Peripheral nerve injuries (lacerations, traction injuries)
  • Severe limb trauma requiring microsurgical soft-tissue coverage
  • Post-tumor-resection defects in musculoskeletal oncology
Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery

 

Robotic Plastic Procedures

Robotic Reconstructive Microsurgery

  • Free flap microvascular anastomosis
  • Nerve repair, nerve grafting and nerve transfers
  • Lymphatic–venous anastomosis (LVA)
  • Vascularized lymph node transfer (VLNT)
  • Vascular anastomoses for complex reconstructions

Robotic Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery

  • Transoral robotic excision of tumors
  • Robotic-assisted flap inset in confined spaces
  • Nerve reconstruction after tumor removal

Robotic Breast Reconstruction

  • Robotic-assisted latissimus dorsi flap harvest
  • Robotic-assisted DIEP perforator dissection
  • Microvascular flap anastomosis

Robotic Hand & Peripheral Nerve Surgery

  • Robotic nerve repair and grafting
  • Tendon/nerve transfers microsurgery
  • Microvascular reconstruction for the hand

Robotic Aesthetic Surgery

  • Robotic-assisted facial and neck procedures in deep planes
  • Transoral robotic approaches for cosmetic neck contouring
  • Robotic-assisted chest wall sculpting (rare but emerging)

Robotic Reconstructive Trauma and Limb Preservation Surgery

  • Microvascular flaps for limb or facial trauma
  • Precision repair in confined or complex anatomical regions

Conditions Treated

  • Traumatic soft-tissue loss
  • Peripheral nerve injuries
  • Post-oncologic defects (breast, head and neck, extremities)
  • Lymphedema requiring lymphatic surgery
  • Chronic wounds requiring flap coverage
  • Tongue, oropharyngeal and skull base tumors
  • Soft-tissue defects requiring precision reconstruction
  • Facial nerve injury or sacrifice
  • Post-mastectomy breast defects
  • Congenital breast deformities
  • Breast reconstruction revisions
  • Primary or secondary lymphedema
  • Nerve injuries in the fingers
  • Brachial plexus injuries
  • Crush or amputation trauma
  • Facial aging requiring deep-plane access
  • Submandibular fullness or neck contour deformities
  • Chest wall contour irregularities
  • Severe limb trauma
  • Facial fractures with soft-tissue loss
  • Traumatic nerve and vessel injury