Lausanne, Switzerland, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), a joint venture between Buffalo surgeons and Kaleida Health Ventures, has chosen Distalmotion’s DEXTER® Robotic Surgery System as its outpatient surgical robot of choice, marking a major milestone in expanding access to robotic surgery by addressing existing barriers to surgical robotics in outpatient care.
Northtowns ASC, known for its commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered care, now offers the benefits of robotic surgery to its patients, reinforcing its leadership in outpatient surgical innovation.
“The ability to set up a robotics program in our outpatient facility without disrupting existing workflows is a game-changer,” said Steven Schwaitzberg, MD, general surgeon at Northtowns, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and former President of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). “We’re excited to have a system that enables more surgeons to expand their capabilities and deliver the best in minimally invasive care at a viable ambulatory price point”
The growing shift of soft tissue procedures to the outpatient setting is driving increased interest in bringing the benefits of surgical robotics—enhanced dexterity, increased precision, and improved surgeon ergonomics—to these facilities. While eager to adopt new innovation, outpatient settings remain focused on prioritizing efficiency, patient experience, and cost-effectiveness. Underscoring the need for a solution tailored to outpatient sites of care are the physical size constraints, lower reimbursement rates, and high volumes of same-day procedures compared with inpatient sites of care.
Designed for seamless integration into any operating room, DEXTER features a small, mobile design that optimizes space and resources. Its instinctive setup and operation ensure a smooth learning curve, enhancing efficiency without disrupting workflows. As an open architecture system, DEXTER is compatible with current surgical technology and adaptable to future advancements, which protects existing facility investments. Unlike any other soft tissue surgical robot, DEXTER has a sterile console that allows surgeons to maintain direct access to the patient at all times and to harness the benefit of switching between robotics and manual laparoscopy as desired.
Ajay Panchal, MD, general surgeon at Northtowns and Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, added, “As an experienced robotic surgeon, the ability to transition care to an ambulatory surgery setting while maintaining advanced robotic technologies and a sterile field with DEXTER will be fantastic. The innovative concept of a sterile console stands out compared to other systems. It allows us to stay connected to the patient and surgical team throughout the procedure.This partnership will improve surgical quality, efficiency, and overall patient satisfaction in this setting.”
Greg Roche, CEO of Distalmotion, added, “This partnership represents a pivotal step in fulfilling our mission to increase access to robotic surgery across all sites of care. ASCs are a critical part of the healthcare ecosystem, and DEXTER is uniquely suited to deliver the benefits of robotics in these environments. We are excited to see how Northtowns ASC will drive further adoption and redefine the role of robotics in outpatient surgery.”
ABOUT DEXTER
The DEXTER® Robotic Surgery System is a soft tissue surgical robot that uniquely simplifies operations to make the benefits of wristed robotics accessible in any operating room (OR).
A small, mobile footprint allows DEXTER to integrate into any size OR, without modifications, and to be easily maneuvered between rooms to optimize efficiency.
The sterile console supports flexible surgical workflows by positioning the surgeon close to the patient for quick bedside access and seamless transitions between laparoscopic and robotic techniques, as desired.
The DEXTER open architecture enables compatibility with existing and future OR technologies, including visualization systems and advanced devices, for cost effective supply operations and use of new innovation.
Its instinctive design ensures an efficient, effective learning curve for setup and use and the DEXTER system comes with a suite of fully wristed single use robotic instruments that enhance dexterity and precision.
Indications for use:
Europe: The DEXTER® Robotic Surgery System is intended to assist in the accurate control of robotic instruments during urologic laparoscopic surgical procedures, general laparoscopic surgical procedures, and gynecologic laparoscopic surgical procedures.
US: The DEXTER® Robotic Surgery System is intended for use in laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. The system is indicated for adult use, defined as 22 years old and older.
ABOUT DISTALMOTION
Distalmotion is a global MedTech company with a mission to empower access to the benefits of robotic surgery by simplifying operations with its DEXTER robot. The company aims to broaden access to robotic surgery for more surgeons and sites of care globally, including hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), to increase the number of patients who benefit from best-in-class minimally invasive care. Well-suited to any size OR, DEXTER is easily moved, quickly set up, and seamlessly integrated into existing procedures. DEXTER is commercially available in the United States and Europe.
The company is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland with a US office in Cleveland, Ohio.
For more information, visit www.distalmotion.com and connect with us on LinkedIn/Twitter: @Distalmotion.
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