Patient Care

The University of Colorado Division of Urology includes multiple faculty members board-certified in robotic-assisted urologic surgeries.

Anschutz Medical Center has performed over 3,500 robotic-assisted surgeries since our robotics program began and now utilizes six da Vinci Xi robots.

Surgeons of note in our robotics program include Dr. Janet Kukreja, whose robotic OR became a national da Vinci case observation site in 2024. At the VA Medical Center, Dr. Granville Lloyd and his team have performed 19 robotic-assisted surgeries in the first six months of 2024, placing them among the top 5 VA Hospitals performing robotic-assisted procedures.

Robotic-assisted procedures done by the CU Urology team include:

• Nephrectomy
• Partial and radical prostatectomy
• Partial and radical cystectomy
• Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) 

What is Robotic-Assisted Surgery?

Robotic-assisted surgery (sometimes called just "robotic surgery") has been around for almost half a century, beginning in the 1980s. The system our surgeons now use, the da Vinci Surgical System, was first approved by the FDA in 2000.

Our team understands that many patients may have fears about robots being involved in their procedures. However, our expert surgeons are still doing procedures—da Vinci systems are just another tool in their belts.

Plus, the robots used by our surgeons are not only good for patients, they're good for the surgeons, too.

When compared to standard open surgery, patients who underwent robotic-assisted surgeries have shorter recovery times, lower risk of infection, and less pain/pain medication use. Surgeons utilizing robotics are able to complete longer surgeries with less back and neck pain, greater accuracy, and more control.

Expert Robotic Surgeons

CU Urology operates eight da Vinci Xi robots across three campuses. Our expert surgeons currently operating robots include:

Urologic Oncology

The top two single-port robotic surgeons in the Rocky Mountain region are both CU faculty members: Drs. Mark Jones and Paul Maroni have performed more robotic surgeries than anyone else, bringing expert eyes to cutting-edge technology.

In 2024, Dr. Janet Kukreja’s operating room became a national da Vinci case observation site. She has spoken at national and international conferences on her experience in robotic-assisted surgeries, training the next generation of surgeons to continue on in using this cutting-edge technology.

Pediatric Urology

Dr. Nicholas Cost spent years advocating for robotic surgery to come to Children's Hospital Colorado, and in 2024, that hard work came to fruition.

Children's is now a high-volume provider of robotic care, with six surgeons across multiple specialties utilizing the da Vinci Xi in their practice.