Minimally Invasive, Single-site Robot-Assisted Surgery is Now Available in Western Australia

They may look like Edward Scissorhands, but robots have become more commonplace in surgery from urology to gynaecology.

According to the recent news reports, robot-assisted surgery is becoming more available to patients.

Channel 7 News: Robots making surgery a ‘fine art’?

In Western Australia, the long-awaited minimally invasive, single-site robot-assisted surgery is now available thanks to the da Vinci ^® Surgical System that is powered by the state-of-the-art robotic technology.

The single-site robot-assisted surgery is an almost scar-less procedure where the surgery is performed through a small cut in the patient’s belly button. This results in an almost scar-less surgical site similar to the minimally invasive, single-incision laparoscopic surgery. 

The single-site robot-assisted surgery is available for gallbladder removal, and benign (non cancer) hysterectomy and ovary removal. 

A hysterectomy’s surgical cut for the different types of surgery:

Early clinical data shows that a single-site robot-assisted hysterectomy performed with the da Vinci ^® Surgical System has these potential benefits:

• Low blood loss^1,2,3,4
• Low rate of complications^1,2
• Low chance of a blood transfusion²
• Low chance of surgeon switching to open surgery^2,3,4
• Short hospital stay^2,3
• Low level of post-operative pain⁴ 

Dr Jason Tan, Gynaecologic Oncologist, who pioneered the robot-assisted surgery in Western Australia and the first to provide single-site robot-assisted surgery in Western Australia said, “Single-site robot-assisted surgery has its benefits for patients and there is no difference in terms of costs with the robot-assisted surgery. At WOMEN Centre, in collaboration with the St John of God Subiaco Hospital, we would like to make this technologically advanced treatment option available to suitable patients”.

Dr Tan also added that at the WOMEN Centre, the medical specialists and allied health professionals engage a multidisciplinary approach where they actively work as a team to treat the patient as a whole, not just a disease or condition, until she regains her quality of life. He said, “It’s important to us that our patients are not just living, but living well”. 

Minimally invasive robot-assisted surgery with the da Vinci ^® Surgical System had been performed on more than three million patients worldwide. 

It is important to note that complications may occur in any surgery and surgical outcome may vary for patients. Patients are advised to consult their doctors on all available treatment options in order to make an informed decision on the most suitable one. 

More information about safety is available here.

¹ Cela V, Freschi L, Simi G, Ruggiero M, Tana R, Pluchino N. "Robotic single-site hysterectomy: feasibility, learning curve and surgical outcome." Surg Endosc. 2013 Jul;27(7):2638-43. doi: 10.1007/s00464-012-2780-8. Epub 2013 Feb 8.

² Akdemir A, Zeybek B, Ozgurel B, Oztekin MK, Sendag F. "Learning curve analysis of intracorporeal cuff suturing during robotic single-site total hysterectomy." J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2015 Mar-Apr;22(3):384-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2014.06.006. Epub 2014 Jun 19.

³ Scheib SA, Fader AN. "Gynecologic robotic laparoendoscopic single-site surgery: prospective analysis of feasibility, safety, and technique." Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Feb;212(2):179.e1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2014.07.057. Epub 2014 Aug 1.

⁴ Bogliolo S, Mereu L, Cassani C, Gardella B, Zanellini F, Dominoni M, Babilonti L, Delpezzo C, Tateo S, Spinillo A. "Robotic single-site hysterectomy: two institutions' preliminary experience." Int J Med Robot. 2014 Sep 18. doi: 10.1002/rcs.1613. [Epub ahead of print]

Source: da Vinci Surgery


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IMPORTANT: The information on this blog is for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have concerning your health or anything related to it.