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My Commitment to Me

It’s been a journey. You've tried diets, medications, and the promises of quick fixes. You're not alone. There is no magic pill. Many have faced the same struggle and found lasting change with da Vinci bariatric surgery, one of the most successful options for addressing severe obesity.

Listen to da Vinci bariatric patients tell their stories of commitment.

An image of Aly, bariatric patient
Commitment to choosing what’s right
Aly's story · Richmond, VA · May 2024
An image of Mike, bariatric patient
Commitment to doing the work
Mike's story · Austin, TX · September 2022
An image of Robin, bariatric patient
Commitment to finding your solution
Robin's story · Birmingham, AL · February 2022

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Get to know the facts:
Da Vinci versus Medication

When considering weight-loss options, it’s helpful to look at the differences between your options. See why a commitment to yourself and da Vinci bariatric surgery can deliver a lasting change.
Medication
(+diet/exercise)
Up to 20% of weight lost5
Individual results may vary.
Up to 66% weight gained6
Within one year of stopping.
Continuous treatment6
~$12,000/year7
Sometimes covered by insurance.
Long-term data is limited8
Da Vinci Surgery
(+diet/exercise)
Up to 77% of excess weight lost9
Individual results may vary.
Up to 7% weight regained10
5 years after surgery.
One time procedure5
~$15,000-$25,000 one-time fee5
Often covered by insurance for severe obesity.
Studied for more than 25 years11
Minimally invasive surgery is as safe as other common procedures like hernia, appendix, and gallbladder surgery.12
Find more information regarding medications and surgery results, including da Vinci surgery.

Why make the commitment with da Vinci?

Weight loss surgery, often called bariatric surgery, is one of the most effective options for those struggling with severe obesity1 and most patients getting bariatric surgery have it done with da Vinci.2 It works by making changes to the digestive system to help you lose weight.
An image of Mike, bariatric patient, playing basketball
~1 in 2 bariatric surgeries is a da Vinci surgery.2
An image of Robin, bariatric patient, prepping food in a kitchen
Many surgeons choose robotic-assisted surgery using a da Vinci system because it extends the capabilities of their eyes and hands. The da Vinci system's robotic arms and 3D high-definition vision provide a great range of motion and magnified view.

With da Vinci surgery, patients can expect:3,4
— small incisions
— short hospital stay
— lower risk of postoperative complications compared to laparoscopic surgery
The da Vinci system is a tool used to perform minimally invasive bariatric surgery, but the surgery does not treat obesity alone long term. Patients should talk to their doctor to decide if da Vinci Surgery is right for them. Learn more about risks and other options for sustained weight loss.

How da Vinci Surgery Works

Where the surgeon sitsYour surgeon is with you, seated at a console in the operating room with you. Your surgeon controls the instruments he or she uses to perform surgery from the console.
What the surgeon seesThrough a 3D high-definition camera, your surgeon can see your anatomy better than with the human eye alone.
How the surgeon operatesUsing controllers at the console, your surgeon handles tiny instruments that can move in more ways than the human hand.

Ready to make the commitment?

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More Information about risks and other options for sustained weight loss.

The da Vinci system is a tool used to perform minimally invasive bariatric surgery, but the surgery does not treat obesity alone long term. A combination of diet, exercise, medication, and not surgery alone is needed to help patients achieve lasting weight loss.

Patients should talk to their doctor to decide if da Vinci Surgery is right for them. Patients and doctors should review all available information on non-surgical and surgical options and associated risks in order to make an informed decision.

Individuals’ outcomes may depend on a number of factors—including but not limited to—patient characteristics, disease characteristics, and/or surgeon experience.

Every surgery involves risks. Serious complications may occur in any surgery, including surgery with a da Vinci system, up to and including death. Serious risks include, but are not limited to, injury to tissues and organs and conversion to other surgical techniques which could result in a longer operative time and/or increased complications.

For important safety information, including surgical risks and considerations, please also refer to www.intuitive.com/safety.

  1. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. 2021 Metabolic and bariatric surgery. Web. 30 October 2024 https://asmbs.org/resources/metabolic-and-bariatric-surgery/
  2. Data on file at Intuitive, August 2024.
  3. Ricciardi, R., et al. (2024). The COMPARE Study: Comparing perioperative outcomes of oncologic minimally invasive laparoscopic, da Vinci robotic, and open procedures: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence. Annals of Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000006572. The COMPARE Study looked at the outcomes of three different surgical approaches for multiple types of non-metastatic cancer: robotic surgery using the da Vinci system, laparoscopic (minimally invasive) surgery, and open surgery. The study reviewed a large number of previous studies to compare how patients fared 30 days after surgery. The findings include: patients who had robotic surgery had shorter hospital stays and fewer post-operative complications, readmissions, and deaths compared to those who had laparoscopic or open surgery. Robotic surgery generally took longer than both laparoscopic and open surgery.
  4. Results are based on an internal meta-analysis of peer-reviewed literature for robotic-assisted Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures compared to open and laparoscopic published between 2010-2022. Data on file at Intuitive.

    Medications vs. da Vinci surgery:
    References 5, 9, and 10 provide data for bariatric surgery in general. This may include open, laparoscopic, and/or robotic (like da Vinci) surgery methods. The authors in reference 9 reviewed literature regarding bariatric surgery from 2013 – 2023, finding that the average excess weight loss for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedures was around 77% one year after surgery. Reference 10 compared the results of thousands of RYGB, sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and adjustable gastric banding (AGB) procedures, and found that the mean total weight regained was 5.7% for RYGB, 6.4% for SG, and 2% for AGB from the 1 year mark to the 5 year mark. Reference 11 documents the first bariatric surgery performed robotically in 1998; the procedure was an AGB. In reference 12, the authors compared laparoscopic SG and RYGB procedures with 9 frequently performed procedures, including hip arthroplasty, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy, colectomy, hysterectomy, and hernia repair, and they concluded that the safety profile of laparoscopic bariatric procedures compared positively with other common procedures at 30 days. While the cited studies may not have included da Vinci systems directly in all cases, da Vinci-assisted surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), just as laparoscopic procedures are. Therefore, results similar to those described in these publications may be expected when using da Vinci.
  5. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. (2024). Surgery and Drugs Facts 2024. Web. November 14, 2024. https://asmbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Surgery_DrugsFacts2024.pdf.
  6. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal... Diabetes Obes Metab. 2022;24(8):1553-1564. doi:10.1111/dom.14725
  7. Amin, K., et al. (2023, August 17). How do prices of drugs for weight loss in the U.S. compare to peer nations’ prices? Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. Web. January 30, 2025. https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/how-do-prices-of-drugs-for-weight-loss-in-the-u-s-compare-to-peer-nations-prices/
  8. University of Chicago Medicine. May 30, 2024. Research shows GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs are effective but come with complex concerns. Web. 6 November 2024 https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/research-and-discoveries-articles/2024/may/research-on-glp-1-drugs
  9. Aderinto N, et al. Recent advances in bariatric surgery: a narrative review of weight loss procedures. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023 Nov 1;85(12):6091-6104. doi: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000001472. PMID: 38098582; PMCID: PMC10718334.
  10. Arterburn, D., et al. PCORnet Bariatric Study Collaborative. Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Bariatric Procedures for Weight Loss: A PCORnet Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. 2018 Dec 4;169(11):741-750. doi: 10.7326/M17-2786. Epub 2018 Oct 30. PMID: 30383139; PMCID: PMC6652193.
  11. Cadiere, G. B., et al. (1999). The world's first obesity surgery performed by a surgeon at a distance. Obes Surg 9(2): 206-209. DOI: 10.1381/096089299765553539.
  12. Clapp B, et al. Bariatric surgery is as safe as other common operations: an analysis of the ACS-NSQIP. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2024 Jun;20(6):515-525. doi: 10.1016/j.soard.2023.11.017. Epub 2023 Dec 6. PMID: 38182525.
IconDisclosures and Important Safety Information
Important Safety InformationFor a product’s intended use and/or indications for use, risks, full cautions, and warnings, please refer to the associated user manual(s).
Da Vinci Xi/X SystemsThe demonstration of safety and effectiveness for the representative specific procedures did not include evaluation of outcomes related to the treatment of cancer (overall survival, disease-free survival, local recurrence), except for radical prostatectomy which was evaluated for overall survival, or treatment of the patient’s underlying disease/condition. Device usage in all surgical procedures should be guided by the clinical judgment of an adequately trained surgeon.
Da Vinci 5 SystemThe demonstration of safety and effectiveness for the representative-specific procedures was based on evaluation of the device as a surgical tool and did not include evaluation of outcomes related to the treatment of cancer (overall survival, disease-free survival, local recurrence) or treatment of the patient’s underlying disease or condition. Device usage in all surgical procedures should be guided by the clinical judgment of an adequately trained surgeon.
Locating a doctorSurgeons who perform surgery using the da Vinci system can be found using the Provider Locator. Intuitive Surgical provides surgeons with training on the use of the da Vinci system but does not certify, credential, or qualify the surgeons listed in the Physician Locator.
Copyright © 2025 Intuitive Surgical. All Rights Reserved. Product and brand names/logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical or their respective owner. See www.intuitive.com/trademarks.
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