Oct 1 2013
Two patients who underwent Australia’s first ever single site, robotic hysterectomy procedure at Sydney’s Westmead Private Hospital have been left amazed by their results, with both being discharged within 24 hours of undergoing surgery.
Performed by leading gynaecologist Dr Felix Chan, the innovative procedure, conducted using the da Vinci Surgical System and single site instrumentation, looks set to be the way of the future for hysterectomies in Australia.
“The first procedure went very smoothly,” said Dr Chan. “The team worked really well together and the patient was stable throughout. We lost only 20 millilitres of blood in comparison to a normal open hysterectomy which usually results in a loss of 300 to 400 millilitres. I most definitely think this technology will be the way of the future both for robotic surgery but also for performing hysterectomies in Australia.”
Approximately 22,000 hysterectomies are performed in Australia each year, with the majority performed using either an open abdominal or laparoscopic approach which involves patients spending on average three to seven days in hospital and taking six to eight weeks to recover. The single site incision not only appears to aid recovery but is cosmetically more appealing when compared to a conventional hysterectomy approach.
Dr Chan said the procedure, which saw both women’s reproductive organs removed via a single two centimetre incision to the naval, is a far more advanced and efficient form of laparoscopic surgery that significantly reduces operating time for surgeons and recovery time for patients.
“The da Vinci Surgical System involves using an articulated instrument that can go around the corners of the pelvis and underneath tissues and sutures more efficiently and precisely than conventional laparoscopic instruments,” he said. “It takes less time, and causes minimal pain, meaning the patient’s recovery time is significantly shortened. Also, because there’s only a small cut to the abdomen, there’s less chance of infection and minimal bleeding.”
Camden dentist Dr Theresa Truong, who was the first patient in Australia to undergo the robotic procedure, was thrilled with her results. Undergoing the hysterectomy to lessen her chances of ovarian cancer after already overcoming breast cancer, she said she had no pain.
“My friends had all told me to expect to stay in hospital a week and to expect some pain but when I woke from the operation I remember turning to the nurse and asking ‘where’s the pain?’ I’m still waiting for it now, but there’s been none,” she said. “Surgeries are so terrible. You have to endure so much pain and discomfort but with this surgery, you go straight home. It’s amazing.” Dr Chan’s second patient, Bowral local, Katherine Thorpe is just as pleased with her surgery’s outcome, despite being initially apprehensive about being one of the first in Australia to receive the procedure.
“I was quite nervous about being one of the first, but I figured if everybody thought ‘because it’s new I won’t have a go’ well then no new procedures would come about, would they?” she said. “Dr Chan is an expert in his field and is one of the best so I thought if I am going to get this new procedure, it might as well be by one of the best.”
Whilst still relatively new, Westmead Private Hospital has fast made a name for itself as a facility of world leading doctors and advanced surgical procedures.“Robotic assisted surgery, which is also used extensively in urology and colorectal surgery, is the next phase in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery and healthcare in Australia,” said Tim Daniel, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer. “We believe this positions our facility at the forefront of robotic surgery in Australia.”
The procedure already has two very strong advocates in Dr Truong and Mrs Thorpe, the latter of whom says her recovery has been incredible in comparison to her friends who received conventional hysterectomies.“You can’t even see the scar and the bruising around my belly button is almost gone,” Mrs Thorpe said. “I have spoken to friends that have had hysterectomies, one laparoscopic and one open and I think that I was pretty lucky compared to them. My recovery period was just so much quicker. I hope the outcomes are this good for everybody.”
For more information on Westmead Private Hospital or the da Vinci Surgical System, please visit http://www.westmeadprivate.com.au/.