Pictured with the Symani Surgical System robot are, from left to right: Katherine Heilpern, MD, President, YNHH; Nita Ahuja, Chief of Surgery, YNHH and Chair of Surgery, YSM; Marie-Helene Gratton, Vice President, Digestive Health, Urology, Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, YNHH; Bohdan Pomahac, MD, chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, YNHH and Professor of Surgery, YSM; Siba Haykal, MD, Chief of Reconstructive Oncology YNHH and Associate Professor, YSM and Alfonsina Fraschilla, Administrator, Department of Surgery, YNHH
NEW HAVEN, CT (March 18, 2025) – Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) today announced that it has become the first in New England and only the fifth center in the United States to use the Symani Surgical System robot designed to treat complex patient problems in the field of reconstructive surgery, lymphatic surgery, peripheral nerve repair and trauma.
“Patients at Yale New Haven Hospital will now have access to the most advanced world-class treatment options through the use of the Symani robot,” said Bohdan Pomahac, MD, chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, YNHH and professor of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine. “This technology allows us to replicate natural hand movements at a microscopic scale using the smallest instruments on the planet.”
Katherine Heilpern, MD, president, YNHH added “We are very excited to join the very small group of hospitals in the U.S. and across the world using this robot to treat the most challenging patient conditions, and to bring this cutting-edge technology to our patients and region.”
The ability to work with finer precision helps protect vessels, reduces trauma and reduces the risk of adverse events. “The field of microsurgery and supermicrosurgery continues to grow, expand and develop each day,” said Nita Ahuja, MD, chief of Surgery, YNHH and chair of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine. “The use of robotics is a key breakthrough. This will greatly enhance care for patients affected by trauma, cancer, congenital malformations and lymphedema.”
Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org
