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The Ramsay Way - Summer2013

Strathfield on the cutting edge PIONEERING SURGEONS DR DAVID MARTIN & DR MICHAEL TALBOT FROM STRATHFIELD PRIVATE HOSPITAL, ARE THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN DOCTORS TO PERFORM ROBOTIC UPPER GASTRO-INTESTINAL SURGERY USING THE DA VINCI® SURGICAL SYSTEM – WITH THE INITIAL PROCEDURES YIELDING IMPRESSIVE RESULTS. The Ramsay Way - 2013 | 04 7 Celebrating 2000th robotic surgery at GPH CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ROBOTIC SURGICAL TEAM AT GREENSLOPES PRIVATE HOSPITAL WHO HAS JUST COMPLETED THEIR 2000TH ROBOTIC PROCEDURE SINCE LAUNCHING ROBOTIC SURGERY IN QUEENSLAND FIVE YEARS AGO. Urologist Dr Glen Wood (Inset pic), has worn his favourite “lucky pig” boxer shorts for every robotic procedure since commencement five years ago. The boxers which are somewhat deteriorated are carefully hand washed to ensure they will last him another 15 years. Waverley increases antibiotic awareness Waverley Private Hospital joined the fight against inappropriate and over use of antibiotics during “Antibiotic Awareness Week”. Waverley Director of Clinical Services Lisa Gatzonis, jumped at the chance to become a mobile ‘Resistance Fighter’! During antibiotic awareness week Waverley staff took the opportunity to raise awareness of the need for everyone to take action. Information was displayed all around the hospital, including on the ‘All About Waverley’ consumer information board. MIND ME pocket cards were given out to VMOs; and consumer information pamphlets handed out to our patients and visitors! 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. 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 five 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 belly button, 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. Robotic hysterectomies will also be done for the first time in Queensland this month at John Flynn Private Hospital under gynaecologist Dr Maneesh Singh. “Robotic GI surgery allows the surgeon to have a significantly greater range of movement and dexterity when compared to conventional keyhole surgery,” Dr Martin said. “It may be particularly useful for difficult cancer operations or complex revision bariatric surgery. “So far we’ve performed several procedures including sleeve operations, gastric bypasses, hiatus hernia operations and revision surgery on two patients who have previously undergone obesity operations.” Dr Martin says surgical procedures for obesity are gaining more acceptance as the health benefits are better understood by patients and the medical community - coupled with innovative new technology and good safety profiles. “The number of obesity operations carried out annually has increased from around 400 procedures 10 years ago, to 10,000 -13000 in 2013.” He says whilst diet and exercise are still the front line tactics in the war on weight, when that fails, increasingly surgical procedures play a role. “Today serious side effects of bariatric surgery occur in less than one per cent of all bariatric surgeries when performed by subspecialty upper GI teams. “And in more advanced cases, not having surgery can be much riskier. “For our average obesity patient with a BMI of 45, (who often has co-existing conditions such as diabetes), the risk of dying prematurely through a weight-related issue or cancer is about 3 times higher than someone of a healthy weight.” He says sleeve surgery and gastric bypass were also increasingly beneficial for people with weight-related diabetes. “Post surgery, the effects on insulin have been fast and dramatic - due to the metabolic effect of the operation. In about 50-70 per cent of cases people resolve their diabetes, many people coming to hospital on diabetic medication and leaving without it. First single incision robotic hysterectomy procedures Westmead Private gynaecologist Dr Felix Chan WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS CAN NOW BE REMOVED VIA A SINGLE 2 CENTIMETRE INCISION TO THE BELLY BUTTON, SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING OPERATING TIME FOR SURGEONS & RECOVERY TIME FOR PATIENTS.


The Ramsay Way - Summer2013
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