A cutting-edge robot is helping public urology patients recover faster, thanks to a new partnership between Barwon Health and Geelong Private Hospital.
Geelong Hospital’s director of urological surgery Richard Grills operated the $4 million da Vinci surgical robot last week during a four-hour prostate removal.
Mr Grills said the device’s four arms enabled more precise surgery with minimal access – particularly useful for urological procedures.
“This device enables a significantly greater degree of surgical precision than the human hand,” he said.
“It’s a much less complicated experience for the patient compared to a traditional open urological surgery.
Mr Grills said the device allowed patients to return to work after two or three weeks instead of six weeks, and discharge from hospital within two days.
“Post-operative pain is significantly less and there is less risk of infection and blood transfusion.”
Mr Grills said Geelong urologists wanted to ensure there was equity of access for robotic surgery.
“Although robotic surgery is well-established in private hospitals, for public hospitals the cost of the technology is pretty challenging.”
But a partnership between Barwon Health and Geelong Private Hospital, the robot’s owners, allowed more patients access to robotic surgery, he said.
“For Geelong patients, it doesn’t matter whether you have private insurance or not – you can still have your prostate surgery performed robotically.”
An estimated 30 public patients will undergo surgery with the da Vinci robot at Geelong Private Hospital this year.
