Hospital using robots for health pregnancy
A TOOWOOMBA hospital has become the first in Australia to use robotic equipment to help mothers safely carry their babies to term.
The da Vinci equipment, which has been used in the past for a variety of conditions including endometriosis and hysterectomies for the past two years, has been used by doctors to help patients who have previously experienced miscarriages or premature births due to a condition called “cervical insufficiency”.
The condition is where the cervix dilates spontaneously, resulting in the premature birth of a baby.
Drs Anthony Cerqui and Brendan Miller were trained in Korea and Sydney to be able to perform the surgery with robotic assistance.
“The benefits to patients using this technology include less pain, faster recovery, reduced scarring and less risk of infection,” Dr Cerqui said.
“Typically a patient who has undergone a gynaecology procedure using robotic assisted surgery can expect a shorter hospital stay and less risk of complications.”
Dalby woman Jess Darbey, who had experienced several premature second-trimester births, was the first patient to use the technology.
Mrs Darbey said she was well-informed about the new procedure before the surgery and was excited to share her story.
“Dr Cerqui had been caring for me for many years, so I felt confident to be the first patient to undergo the procedure as I am keen to be able to carry my next baby safely to full term,” she said.
The procedure, called Robotic Cervix Cerclage, involves accessing the cervix through three small incisions in the abdomen and inserting a camera and surgical instruments via the port incisions, then tying the cervix with special surgical mersilene tape.
The robotic system enables surgeons to operate in the difficult to access lower pelvis through very small incisions with unmatched accuracy, precision and 3D visibility, all in real time.
St Andrew’s Hospital CEO Ray Fairweather said the facility was leading the way in robot-assisted surgeries.