Local hospital shows off surgical robot

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) -- A local hospital gives the public a first-hand look at a state-of-the-art surgical robot.

St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford was holding an open house Wednesday for its da Vinci Si Surgical System .

It allows surgeons to remotely perform robotic-assisted, minimally-invasive operations.

During the open house, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., the public was being allowed to actually sit at the controls and test out the da Vinci system.

Southcoast Health System is the only hospital group in the region to offer da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery.  It is available at both St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford and Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River.