UCSF Health Has Completed 25,000 Robotic Surgeries

The health system reached the milestone as it expands its fleet of surgical robots to improve precision and recovery.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Robotics

Isometric editorial illustration of a multi-armed surgical robot with articulated metal instruments against a clean, professional clinical background. — UCSF Health has reached a milestone of 25,000 robotic surgeries, as the hospital system continues expanding its surgical technology program in San Francisco. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe robotic technology makes complex surgical procedures safer for patients?

UCSF Health has officially surpassed 25,000 completed robotic surgical procedures across its five campuses. The program, which spans 18 medical specialties, utilized more than 3,000 robotic procedures in 2025 alone.

Why it matters

The health system adopts robotic technology to improve surgical precision, safety, and patient recovery through advanced 3D visualization and haptic feedback. This milestone reflects the program's growth as it adds new surgical capabilities like kidney transplantation.

Surgeons perform operations using robotic arms guided by 3D visualization with 10 times magnification. The new da Vinci 5 platform integrates force sensing instrumentation to provide haptic feedback during procedures.

The players

UCSF Health

This is a leading academic medical center and health system based in San Francisco that operates across five campuses.

The details

With a team of 87 trained surgeons, UCSF Health is now expanding its technical fleet by adding eight da Vinci 5 systems. The program has recently incorporated complex operations, including robotic kidney transplantation and living donor hepatectomies, into its offerings.

In 2025, surgeons performed more than 3,000 robotic procedures.
The health system is currently on pace to reach 4,000 robotic procedures in 2026.
UCSF plans to open a new robotic surgery operating room at UCSF Stanyan in fall 2026.

The Tech Race

The adoption of the da Vinci 5 surgical platform marks a transition toward smarter robotic tools that provide surgeons with real-time physical feedback. This evolution positions UCSF Health among the leading institutions implementing high-precision robotics to replace legacy surgical methods.

Patients undergoing procedures at UCSF Health may benefit from increased surgical precision and faster recovery times due to the advanced haptic feedback technology. Those scheduled for surgery can consult with their providers to see if their specific case qualifies for a robotic approach.

The takeaway

The rapid growth of robotic surgery programs demonstrates a shift toward high-tech, precision-focused patient care in major medical centers. Patients should ask their surgeons about the availability and specific benefits of robotic-assisted platforms when discussing treatment options.