A new era of robotic surgery in New Zealand

Medtronic Hugo™ Robotic Surgery

In June 2025, Jim Duthie became the first surgeon in New Zealand to perform a robotic prostatectomy using the Medtronic Hugo™ Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) system – a landmark moment in New Zealand surgical care. Jim is currently the only urologist in the country offering patients access to both the Hugo and da Vinci robotic platforms.

What is the Hugo™ RAS system?

The Hugo™ system is Medtronic’s latest robotic-assisted surgical platform, engineered to deliver enhanced precision, flexibility, and visualisation for a wide range of minimally invasive procedures. With global adoption already underway, its introduction into New Zealand brings new surgical possibilities for patients and clinicians alike.

Watch the Hugo™ RAS system demo

Hugo vs da Vinci – what’s the difference?

Both the Hugo and da Vinci systems are globally respected platforms, offering surgeons exceptional control and patients consistently safe, effective outcomes. While each system has its own interface and capabilities, clinical outcomes are comparable, and the choice of system can now be tailored to suit both patient needs and hospital availability.
Crucially, the entry of a competitive platform is helping to reduce costs and increase availability of robotic surgery across the board.

Benefits of robotic prostate surgery

Robotic-assisted prostatectomy allows for greater surgical precision with minimal disruption to surrounding tissue, making it a preferred option for many patients requiring prostate cancer treatment. Benefits may include:

    • Less post-operative pain
    • Reduced risk of complications
    • Shorter hospital stay
    • Quicker recovery
    • Smaller incisions and minimal scarring
    • Reduced risk of urinary incontinence
    • Improved recovery of erectile function

With the addition of the Hugo system, more patients may soon be able to access these benefits, whether through private or public healthcare.

FAQ

Robotic-assisted surgery uses advanced computer-controlled instruments that translate the surgeon’s movements into highly precise actions inside the body.

Jim Duthie is certified on both the da Vinci and Medtronic Hugo platforms and was the first in New Zealand to perform a Hugo robotic prostatectomy.

In most cases, robotic surgery provides comparable or improved outcomes with smaller incisions, less pain, and faster return to normal activity.

Patients often experience shorter hospital stays, minimal scarring, quicker recovery, and lower risks of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Access depends on hospital availability and insurance coverage, but the growing use of systems like Hugo is improving affordability and access across New Zealand.

A robotic prostatectomy is a minimally invasive procedure to remove the prostate using advanced robotic instruments for precise cancer removal with minimal bleeding, pain, and recovery time. The Medtronic Hugo Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) system is one of the latest platforms enabling this precision – Jim Duthie was the first surgeon in New Zealand to perform a Hugo robotic prostatectomy.