The Royal Adelaide Hospital is the first South Australian public hospital to offer robotic assisted surgery with the Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system now available.
The new robotic system provides three-dimensional high-definition vision allowing surgeons to do more complex surgery whilst keeping a minimalist or ‘keyhole’ approach. This will bring great benefits for consumers such as:
- fewer complications, such as surgical site infection
- less pain and blood loss
- shorter hospital stays and faster recovery
- smaller, less noticeable scars
- faster return to normal day activities.
Robotic-assisted surgery has proven benefits for specific cohorts of cancer patients, such as those that need radical prostatectomy (surgery to remove the prostate gland), patients with certain forms of kidney cancer where surgery with a robot allows for partial preservation off the kidney, and patients with cancers of the uterus.
Up to 250 robotic surgeries are expected to be performed each year.
Future of surgery
Robotics is the future of medicine and with the installation of the robotic surgical system, says Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) Medical Lead Surgery, Peter Subramaniam.
“Using robotic-assisted surgery can result in decreased complications, faster recovery, reduced length of stay in hospital, and faster return to normal day activities,” Dr Subramaniam.
CALHN will build a local ‘Centre of Excellence’ in robotic surgery, offering clinical innovation and research in cancer and surgical fields to help attract trainee surgeons looking to learn from world leading clinicians.
“Our Centre of Excellence in robotic surgery will drive clinical innovation and research in cancer and surgery fields and attract the best progressive surgeons and most promising trainee surgeons,” he said.
Robot surgery ensures CALHN consumers receive the best possible care, while also providing the next generation of surgeons with the required skills to master new surgical techniques.
Watch the video to hear from our surgical team about the Da Vinci Robotic surgical system.
