GLENDALE — Surgeons at Abrazo Arrowhead Campus have completed more than 5,000 total robot-assisted surgical procedures, a milestone for the Northwest Valley hospital known for its surgical programs.

More than 1,000 of those procedures will have been completed in 2019 alone, according to a release.

In minimally invasive surgery, doctors use a variety of techniques to operate with less damage to the body than with open surgery.

Laparoscopy, one of the first minimally invasive techniques, is surgery done through small incisions, using small tubes and tiny cameras and surgical instruments.

“Robotic surgery is the biggest advancement in surgical care in the last two decades,” said gynecologic oncology surgeon Dr. Dennis Scribner.

Robotic surgical techniques take minimally invasive procedures a step further by using computer guidance and magnified, 3-D views of the surgical site, the release states. That helps the surgeon operate with precision, flexibility and improved control.

The pace of minimally invasive procedures using robotic-assisted surgical technology continues on an upward trajectory, said Jeff Patterson, CEO at Abrazo Arrowhead.

“Continual innovations in minimally invasive surgery have made robot-assisted procedures an option for patients with a wide range of conditions,” Mr. Patterson stated.

Abrazo Arrowhead often hosts education and training opportunities for surgeons from other hospitals who travel to Glendale to learn techniques used in robot-assisted surgery.