Tamsweg hospital begins using Austria’s first Hugo surgical robot

A hospital in Tamsweg has begun using Hugo, the first surgical robot of its kind in Austria, ORF reports. The system brings advanced surgical technology to a hospital in the rural Lungau region.

Hugo has four independently moving arms that can be added or removed depending on the operation. Surgeons control the robot from a console. Its modular design allows it to be adapted for different procedures, including operations that require access to hard-to-reach parts of the body.

At Tamsweg hospital, it will be used mainly for groin and abdominal wall hernias, as well as operations on the oesophagus, stomach, gallbladder and intestines.

Michael Weitzendorfer, head of surgery at the hospital, said the system could make operations more precise and flexible, bringing benefits to people in the Lungau region. Klaus Emmanuel, head of surgery at Salzburg University Hospital, said studies suggest patients undergoing some procedures may recover faster and spend less time in hospital. He cautioned that the robot had not been shown to produce better results than other surgical methods.

The hospital is also building a permanent operating team. An assistant doctor from Salzburg University Hospital will work in Tamsweg for six months at a time, giving local staff experience with the system and helping strengthen the hospital’s surgical services. The arrangement is also intended to give young doctors more opportunities to learn in Tamsweg.

The robot was not purchased. It would cost 1.2 million euros to buy, but the hospital will instead pay 2,200 euros for each robot-assisted operation. Health official Wolfgang Mayer said the decision was intended to show his commitment to healthcare in rural regions.