There aren’t very many programs in the country that can rival what we do.
David Finley, MDPatients across northern New England facing cancers in the chest or lung now have access to the newest generation of minimally invasive surgery with the addition of the Da Vinci Single-Port (SP) robotic system here at Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC).
What is single-port robotic surgery?
Unlike traditional multi-port robotic surgery, which uses several tiny incisions, the SP robotic system allows surgeons to work through just one small opening. Through that single entry point, three fully articulating instruments and a camera are deployed with remarkable precision and flexibility.
The result is the same or improved surgical accuracy with the potential for:
- Less postoperative pain
- Fewer complications
- Shorter hospital stays
- Quicker return to daily life.
The recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the SP platform for thoracic procedures represents a meaningful step forward in comfort, recovery, and access to world-class surgical care, close to home.
Dana M. Ferrari-Light, DO, MPH, and David J. Finley, MD, robotically trained surgeons in DCC’s Comprehensive Thoracic Oncology Program (CTOP), began using the SP platform for thoracic cases in October 2025, building on a strong history of robotic excellence at DCC. With these milestones, Dartmouth Health becomes the only health system in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine to offer single-port thoracic surgery.
Current thoracic applications at DCC include lung and chest lymph node resections and removal of mediastinal tumors (tumors in the chest space). Surgeons in other specialties, including the colorectal cancer program and the head and neck cancer program, are also expanding their use of the SP platform.
A personalized approach
With multiple robotic systems available at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), the decision about which platform to use is highly individualized.
“It depends on the patient’s body, the type of tumor, and its location,” says Ferrari-Light. “We have all the tools we need to choose what’s best for each person.”
For some patients, the SP robot is the optimal approach. For others, a multi-port system or a combination of surgical techniques may offer the best outcome.
“The SP gives us one more tool in our armamentarium,” says Finley. “The focus is always on the safest, most effective surgery for that patient.”
World-class expertise behind the technology
Although FDA approval of the SP platform for thoracic surgeries is relatively new, DCC’s robotic expertise in this area is not. Finley, a leader in robotic thoracic surgery for nearly two decades, brings his experience in performing more than 1,500 multi-port robotic procedures to the SP rollout.
“The instrumentation, the approach to the surgery, and the technical aspects of the surgery are not dramatically different. The only difference is that we're using a single port instead of multiple ports,” he explains.
“Intuitive, which manufactures the da Vinci surgical robots, only selects and endorses surgeons whom they know are already expert robotic surgeons,” adds Ferrari-Light.
Even with proven expertise, the introduction of each new robotic platform follows a rigorous and highly structured training pathway that includes online coursework, in-person training with Intuitive, observation at other centers with expert surgeons, and proctors present for initial cases.
“It’s a well-thought-out approach to make sure there’s no question we know exactly what we’re doing,” says Finley.
In addition, Ferrari-Light is one of about 10 surgeons in the U.S.—and only the second female—to be credentialed across Intuitive’s entire platform: the Xi robot, the newest da Vinci 5, the Ion robotic bronchoscopy system, and now the SP robot.
“I hope it inspires other people to beat me,” she says with a smile. “Truly—I want more women who are aspiring thoracic surgeons to see what’s possible in this challenging but extremely rewarding field.”
Advanced care without navigating the city
The CTOP thoracic surgery team is hands-down among the most experienced in New England. Only a select few other surgeons in New England currently perform SP thoracic procedures.
But technological capability is only part of what sets the CTOP program apart.
“Our program is incredibly comprehensive,” says Ferrari-Light. “When patients come here, they’re seeing surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists—as well as other specialists and cancer support staff—who all work closely together. Nothing is siloed. We plan care with rural access in mind because our patients often travel for hours from western Massachusetts, the coast of Maine, all of New Hampshire and Vermont, and upstate New York for their visits.”
Finley adds, “There aren’t very many programs in the country that can rival what we do. From a surgical expertise standpoint, from a technological standpoint, and from a multidisciplinary standpoint, we have world-class capabilities across the board in thoracic surgery and thoracic oncology.”
Looking ahead: research, training, and innovation
As an academic medical center, DHMC continues to build the future of robotic surgery. A new research project is underway to compare patient outcomes between SP and multi-port systems, examining pain scores, recovery, and cancer outcomes. General surgery residents also train on robotic platforms, learning from CTOP’s surgeons as part of their education.
With the introduction of the SP robot, DCC continues to deliver leading-edge care to northern New England—ensuring patients have access to world-class care and the newest possibilities in surgical healing.
“Our robotics program is far and away one of the largest, best, and most robust programs in the country,” says Finley. “We're doing really difficult and technically challenging cases here. And we’re doing them well. Adding the single-port robotic system will keep allowing us to advance the care of our patients and continue innovating at the forefront of how thoracic malignancies are treated.”