Exactly one year ago, the first Da Vinci robot surgeries in Croatia were performed at the private Priora Hospital in Čepin. Since then, the medical team has continuously pushed boundaries.
Da Vinci and Mona Lisa – robots fighting cancer, drawing patients to a small Slavonian town from as far away as Brazil
A true artist and genius among robots – just like the great man it was named after. Most importantly, it saves lives. More precise than the human hand, it reduces the risk of complications and speeds up patient recovery. The Da Vinci Xi is the world’s most advanced robotic surgical system. It has revolutionized cancer treatment, especially for prostate cancer, and caused quite a stir when it arrived in a small village in Slavonia – putting it on the European map for modern, minimally invasive surgery.
The first prostate surgeries using the Da Vinci robot in Croatia were performed in early June last year at the International Medical Center Priora in Čepin, near Osijek. A new chapter in modern medicine was written in a private hospital in Slavonia – for both Croatia and the region. One year later, the Priora medical team has performed 68 successful Da Vinci operations.
“I’ve had prostate problems for twenty years. It was difficult, and the issues eventually led to cancer. Just one week after surgery with the Da Vinci at Priora, I walked ten kilometers daily. Three months later, I’m back to cycling 40 kilometers a day,” says Zdenko, a satisfied patient from the Osijek area.
When you mention Da Vinci, the first association is often Mona Lisa – and the two are inseparable at Priora. The Mona Lisa Dx Biobot is a robot that has brought a whole new dimension to prostate biopsy. After a targeted biopsy confirmed his cancer, Zdenko underwent surgery using the Da Vinci system.
Mona Lisa Dx Biobot
Three physicians at Priora are trained to operate this advanced robotic system, constantly pushing the limits. Their rapid progress has been supported by the ongoing mentorship of Dr. Georg Schön, who has performed over 6,000 robotic surgeries in the past 15 years, making him a world-renowned leader in the field.
The surgeon controls the robot, replicating their hand’s precise movements. The robot’s arms are incredibly flexible, with a range of motion up to 540 degrees and millimeter-level precision – exceeding the limitations of the human hand.
The entire procedure is monitored on a screen by the medical team.
Da Vinci
“Da Vinci gives the surgeon two additional hands, a three-dimensional view, and a ten-times magnified image – revealing details invisible to the naked eye. This magnification enables precise navigation and real-time visualization of the surgical site,” explains Mr. Sc. Tomislav Kalem, Director of IMC Priora and Head of the Urology Department.
The sophisticated Da Vinci Xi system, worth more than 4 million euros, enables minimally invasive operations. Instead of large abdominal incisions, only small incisions of 5 to 12 millimeters are needed to insert the instruments and camera into the patient’s body. This shortens the recovery time, allowing patients to be discharged between the fourth and sixth day after surgery.
But the key word is – precision.
“The advantage of robotic prostate surgery is that thanks to this high-precision technology, continence is preserved – patients don’t need to wear diapers, and sexual function is also maintained, which is important for younger men. Most importantly, we can precisely see the boundaries of cancer and where we need to cut, which significantly increases the chances of a cure compared to any other method,” emphasizes Dr. Kalem.
In 2023, prostate cancer claimed 758 lives in Croatia. According to the National Cancer Registry, 2,299 new cases were diagnosed in 2020 and 2,434 in 2021 – making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Croatia and across Europe.
Early detection plays a crucial role in successful treatment, which is why raising public awareness about the importance of preventive checkups is essential. Unfortunately, much work remains. A recent Ipsos survey on behalf of the Croatian Prostate Cancer Patients Association found that 93% of Croatian men had never heard of the PSA test or knew what it was for.
IMC Priora
Getting men to draw blood and check their PSA levels is challenging enough – convincing them to undergo a prostate biopsy is even harder. Many men associate biopsies with discomfort or fear. That’s where robotic technology plays a crucial role. The Mona Lisa Dx Biobot offers a precise, minimally invasive, and more effective approach to detecting prostate cancer. It improves accuracy, reduces risks, and enables safer, more accurate diagnosis. It also reduces the number of unnecessary samples and shortens the duration of the procedure.
In the past year, 86 patients underwent a biopsy using the Mona Lisa robot at Priora in Čepin. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, 21 of them chose to undergo robotic surgery with the Da Vinci system.
It also reduces the number of unnecessary samples and shortens the duration of the procedure.
“By introducing cutting-edge technologies like Da Vinci, Mona Lisa, and Histolog – which allows us to determine whether a tumor has been completely removed within six to eight minutes – Priora has created one of Europe’s most advanced urology departments,” concludes Dr. Kalem.
Priora holds the DNV EN 15224:2016 quality certification, which confirms its continuous investment in quality, safety, and excellence.
