Da Vinci Surgical Robot Goes into Operation at Mistelbach-Gänserndorf State Clinic

Florian Wimpissinger, chief physician and project leader for the establishment of robotics, was visibly moved. "Mein großer Tag war der Montag, als der Roboter geliefert und ausgepackt wurde," Wimpissinger said happily. He also emphasized that the machine does not operate independently: "Der Roboter operiert nicht selbst, er ist der verlängerte Arm von uns Chirurgen." Two two-person teams – one surgeon and three female surgeons – are currently being trained on the Da Vinci.

Technology and Training

Medical Director Ronald Zwrtek underlined the medical advantages. Robot-assisted surgery enables "extrem schonende OP-Technik," more precise movement sequences, high-resolution visualization, and particularly tissue-sparing treatment. "Diese Methode führt zu geringeren Komplikationsraten, reduziertem Blutverlust, weniger Schmerzen sowie einer insgesamt schnelleren Genesung," Zwrtek said.

Elisabeth Bräutigam, board member for medicine and care at the Lower Austrian State Health Agency, also highlighted the significance of the investment. "Es ist eine Investition in die Lebensqualität und in die Chirurgen," she noted at the press event. The new technologies also offered staff the opportunity to receive the best possible training on state-of-the-art equipment.

Investment in the Site and Specialists

State Councillor Anton Kasser (ÖVP), who is responsible for the state clinics, described the acquisition as "gut investiertes Geld" and emphasized that robotic assistance is a key innovation in healthcare and a fixed component of the Health Plan 2040+. "Einerseits eine bestmögliche Versorgung für unsere Patientinnen und Patienten durch präzise, sichere und schonende Behandlungsmethoden, andererseits erhöhen wir damit auch die Attraktivität unserer Klinikstandorte als Ausbildungs- und Arbeitsstandorte für junge Medizinerinnen und Mediziner," Kasser explained.

The finance state councillor, who was also present, expressed his conviction about the investment. The doctors joked at the event: "Wenn Not am Mann ist, kann der Herr Landesrat schon kommen."

Expansion Across Lower Austria

In Lower Austria, the new Da Vinci is already the third system of its kind. Since 2015, operations have been performed with such a robot in Wiener Neustadt, and since 2023 one has been in place at the St. Pölten University Hospital, with which around 5,000 procedures have been carried out to date. With the Mistelbach-Gänserndorf site, a surgical robot is to be available in every quarter of Lower Austria in the future.

Wimpissinger once again stressed that the robot does not operate on its own, but is strongly influenced by what the surgeon controls. In minimally invasive surgery, the device is "einfach die logische Weiterentwicklung." In addition, the robotic arm is more agile than the human hand, making the procedures even more precise.

The state clinic also sees the acquisition as a signal to coming generations. The surgical robot is "ein Kind der Zeit," making the hospital site more attractive for young doctors. This is intended to attract and retain qualified specialists in the long term.

With the commissioning on 5 August, the final stage on the way to the full expansion of robot-assisted surgery in all regions of Lower Austria also begins at the Mistelbach-Gänserndorf State Clinic.