The Surgical Clinic of the Clinical Center at the University of Debrecen (DE) has expanded with another robot-assisted surgical system: the second robot-assisted operating room was inaugurated on Thursday.
Zita Szondi, Deputy Director General of the National Hospital Directorate responsible for the healthcare delivery system, said at the handover ceremony that robotic technology represents a new stage in professional development that has transformed certain areas of Hungarian surgery in recent years.
“Robots are now present in soft tissue surgery, most commonly in urology, abdominal surgery, gynecology, ENT, and thoracic surgery operating rooms. Navigation robots assist in orthopedic and musculoskeletal surgery, while rehabilitation robots help patients regain mobility and restore limb function,” she explained.
Szondi recalled that robot-assisted surgery in Hungary began in 2022, with the first such urological operation performed at the National Oncology Institute.
Today, seven publicly funded robot-assisted surgical systems operate across six centers, representing a significant quality improvement in patient care. She noted that following the 2022 launch, the number of procedures nearly tripled in 2023, and between 2023 and 2025, surgeries increased from 1,773 to almost double, resulting in approximately 8,700 robot-assisted surgeries since inception.
Szondi added that Hungary now has over seventy trained console surgeons and eight domestic proctors providing high-level professional support for both medical and healthcare staff.
Dezső Tóth, Director of the Surgical Clinic, recalled that the first robot-assisted surgical system was installed in 2024, with 210 procedures performed that year, increasing to 420 in 2025, approaching the operating room’s maximum capacity. In the new robot-assisted operating room, 120 procedures are planned per quarter.
Mayor László Papp highlighted that healthcare development in Debrecen has gained remarkable momentum in recent years, notable even by international standards. “The future of medicine is being built in Debrecen,” he said, referring to the inauguration of the second modern robot-assisted surgical system.
György Kossa, Chairman of the Board of the foundation operating the university, added that this healthcare development is a success not only for the university but also for the entire region and for Hungarian healthcare as a whole.
(unideb.hu)
