Banner Health Deploys Robotic Microscope for Brain Tumor Surgery in Arizona

Banner Health has deployed a robotic digital microscope for brain tumor surgery at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, making it the first hospital in the Western U.S. to adopt the system.

The hospital is using the Aesculap Aeos Robotic Digital Microscope, a robotic exoscope that provides high-definition 3D visualization of the surgical field and allows the entire operating room team to view procedures in real time. A neurosurgery team has already used the system in craniotomy procedures to remove brain tumors, according to a Banner Health press release.

The system replaces traditional optical microscopes with a digital interface. Surgeons operate in a “heads-up” position, viewing a screen instead of looking through an eyepiece. The device can be controlled using a handgrip or wireless foot switch, with features that allow precise movement, waypoint setting, and target locking during procedures.

Health systems are increasingly tying technology deployments to measurable clinical and operational outcomes, as seen across recent implementations in care delivery environments.