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Darling Downs Health has welcomed a new addition to its surgical team, the Da Vinci Robot.
The Da Vinci Robot is a specialised piece of robotic equipment enabling Toowoomba Hospital surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures for surgeries that would have otherwise involved large incisions.
The robot was used in its first urology procedure at the Toowoomba Hospital this week.
Toowoomba Hospital’s Director of Urology, Dr Devang Desai said this is an exciting milestone for the Darling Downs region and the inclusion of the Da Vinci Robot in the operating theatre is a big win for the community.
“The use of this technology will provide patients with a better surgical and recovery experience. In some cases, the use of the robot could reduce a patients recovery time for six to eight weeks to just two weeks, as smaller incision sites heal more quickly.
“We’re still performing the same surgeries, just with a minimally invasive technique, meaning there’s less risk of bleeding.
“At the moment, the Da Vinci Robot is largely being used for urology procedures like prostate cancer surgery.
“This is an evolving field of care, not all patients will be suitable for a minimally invasive procedure, but whoever is suitable, we now have the means to do it, so we will,” Dr Desai said.
Geoffrey Yeo was the first Darling Downs Health patient to be operated on using the Da Vinci Robot and is recovering well.
“I can’t fault the staff here at the hospital who’ve been involved in my care, a big thank you to them all, they’ve been excellent,” Mr Yeo said.
Executive Director Toowoomba Hospital, Rachel Phillips said having access to the Da Vinci Robot reduces the number of patients who need to travel outside of the region to receive care.
“Previously, to receive a minimally invasive procedure you either had to travel to Brisbane or pay for the procedure at one of the private hospitals in Toowoomba.
“We want to keep abreast of technology and what’s happening around us to ensure we’re providing the best standard of care to Darling Downs residents.
Executive Director Toowoomba Hospital, Rachel Phillips
“While we’re just using the robot for urology surgeries at this stage, we will look to expand its use into other specialities like ENT and Gynaecology,” Ms Phillips said.