In Australia, the introduction of a new Da Vinci XI robotic surgery system at the Royal Adelaide Hospital is hoped to provide access for patients to “minimally invasive procedures” such as “complex head and neck operations” and colorectal surgery.
The hospital expects to complete up to 250 robotic surgeries per year using the new Da Vinci system, as a response to “increasing demand” from Adelaide surgeons for robot-assisted surgery in the public sector.
$7 million is being contributed by the state government to operate the technology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, topped up by an investment of $5.1 million from the Health Services Charitable Gifts Board.
The Central Adelaide Local Health Network’s (CALHN) medical lead for surgery, Peter Subramaniam, highlighted the “decreased complications, faster recovery, reduced length of stay in hospital, and faster return to normal day activities” offered by robotic-assisted surgery, adding: “Through this implementation, CALHN continues its journey of developing a Centre of Excellence in robotic surgery, clinical innovation and research in cancer and surgery fields, attracting innovative and highly competent robotic surgeons and most promising trainee surgeons.”
In a LinkedIn post, CALHN welcomed the news, highlighting the benefits of the “three-dimensional high-definition vision” offered by the Da Vinci robotic system in allowing surgeons to “do more complex surgery whilst keeping a keyhole approach”. The post also linked to a YouTube video featuring surgeons talking about the opportunities that the new system offers across multiple specialties, and sharing details around the system’s capabilities.
In other news from Australia, a $50 million grant from the Albanese government for the Australian Artificial Heart Frontiers Program will help to develop and commercialise its “Total Artificial Heart”, with hopes to harness technology to “halve deaths from heart failure” globally.
