Val Verde Regional Medical Center to add Da Vinci 5 robotic surgery system

Patients who now leave Del Rio for specialized surgery may soon be able to stay in Val Verde County, as Val Verde Regional Medical Center prepares to add the Da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system and begin procedures later this spring.

The hospital said the new platform should arrive in about six weeks, followed by installation and staff training. First robotic-assisted procedures are expected in late May or early June, with use across obstetrics and gynecology, bariatric surgery, colorectal surgery, general surgery and surgical oncology.

For a county of 47,586 people and a city of 34,673, the change could matter well beyond the operating room. VVRMC says the system is intended to reduce the need for patients to travel outside the area for specialized procedures, a burden that can mean more time off work, longer drives for family members and recovery spent away from home.

VVRMC’s surgical services department already includes six operating rooms and provides elective and emergency surgery as well as a broad range of minimally invasive procedures. The hospital also has an established surgical base, with three general surgeons on staff: Dr. Mark Manning, Terry Lindsey and Lisa Palacheck. Its provider directory also lists Antonio Castaneda in general surgery.

Dr. Manning, who has practiced surgery in Del Rio for 33 years, has been one of the local faces of that base. Hospital leaders say the Da Vinci 5 will build on that existing program by giving surgeons enhanced precision, better visualization and greater control during minimally invasive operations. VVRMC says patients could see smaller incisions, less pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times.

The purchase also fits a larger strategy. Val Verde Regional Medical Center Legacy Foundation received a $20,000 donation on Dec. 31, 2025, to support robotic-assisted surgery and recruit future surgeons. The foundation says it is focused on expanding services, investing in cutting-edge technology and building long-term financial sustainability.

Chief executive Jorge Jurado has framed the investment as part of the hospital’s responsibility to serve a border community that deserves the same level of care available in larger cities. That argument carries weight in Val Verde County, where VVRMC has provided care for more than 60 years and remains a key access point for specialty services, including work with UT Health San Antonio.

The Da Vinci 5 was cleared by the FDA on March 14, 2024, and Intuitive says the platform includes force feedback technology that lets surgeons sense instrument force on tissue. For Del Rio families, the bigger question is simpler: whether more complex surgery can now happen close to home, in the same hospital where much of the region already turns for care.