SURGICAL NEWS
Cairns Day Surgery
delivers eye surgery
through experienced
FIFO doctors
Retinal surgery is now available at Cairns
Day Surgery, following the arrival of two new
experienced surgeons in the region.
Both doctors will periodically travel to Cairns from Brisbane
to consult and operate, saving patients the burden of needing
to travel to larger metropolitan areas.
Ramsay Cairns CEO Ben Tooth said: “I’m extremely supportive
of the increased specialised services to the region for patients
who otherwise would have to travel to receive this care.”
Retinal surgeon Dr Mark Donaldson started at the facility this
week and joins the team with more than 19 years’ experience.
He specialises in the treatment of diseases and disorders of the
retina, vitreous and macula including retinal detachment, tears
and vein occlusions.
Dr Michael Hogden is the second specialist joining the
surgery, which will help expand the ophthalmology services
at the facility. The vitreoretinal surgeon received his training
in Queensland before pursuing additional retinal training in
New York, the United Kingdom and North America. His main
speciality areas include retinal detachment and tears, complex
cataract surgery requiring vitreoretinal intervention and
inherited retinal disease.
The surgery has also installed the latest high-resolution
microscopes from Zeiss and a state-of-the-art high-speed
vitrectomy machine and lasers from Alcon.
Both surgeons will provide a monthly service.
6 The Ramsay Way 2019 | 03
Since installation of the da-Vinci Xi Surgical System at Wollongong Private Hospital in
2018, 11 surgeons have been able to complete more than 100 urological, colorectal and
gynaecological procedures.
Wollongong Private Hospital has now further expanded its
robotic capabilities to offer Illawarra patients the option of
robotic assisted head and neck procedures. The system
will now be used for the removal of malignant or benign
tumours of the throat, tongue and tonsils, as well as
complex tonsil cases.
Previously, patients would have been required to undergo
open surgery – an invasive procedure which requires
a large incision from the lip to the neck in order to split
open the jaw to allow access to the mouth and throat.
Now, using the da Vinci Xi, surgeons can complete a
far less invasive procedure – through transoral robotic
surgery (TORS) – with no incisions necessary to remove
tumours of the oropharynx.
Dr Stephen Pearson, ENT Surgeon, successfully
performed the region’s first robotic assisted
tonsillectomy in June 2019.
3D printed sternum
implantation at North
Shore Private Hospital
A truck driver with a rare form of cancer has become
the first person in New South Wales to receive a 3D
printed sternum.
Walter Santos was driving when he felt severe chest pain that
travelled upwards to his arm pits.
Scans later revealed a small bulge had developed in his chest
which turned out to be cancer.
North Shore Private Hospital cardiothoracic surgeon
Dr Michael Harden examined the tumour and realised it could
be removed, but it meant removing the sternum bone and
tissue on which it was growing.
New technology meant the sternum could be replaced with a
3D printed custom-made prosthetic, which Dr Harden had only
read about overseas.
Dr Harden said: “We followed the rabbit down the hole and
found ‘Anatomic,’ which is an Australian-based company
manufacturing the implants.”
The surgery involved two cardiothoracic surgeons, two plastic
surgeons and an anaesthetist working together in theatre for
14 hours.
“What I’m very pleased about is being able to do
something which is going to give the patient the best results,”
Dr Harden said.
Trans-oral
robotic surgery
available at
Wollongong
Private Hospital
Dr Stephen Pearson and patient, Emma Wallace – the first patient to undergo a robotic head and neck procedure
at Wollongong Private Hospital.