NEW SURGICAL EQUIPMENT IMPROVES HEALTH OUTCOMES
Patients in the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region suffering from a range of diseases and illnesses have embraced robotic assisted surgery at St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital since its launch in 2014.
Now the hospital has gone a step further, upgrading their robot to the latest available model on the market, investing $2.7million in the new cutting-edge technology.
The advanced surgical equipment is used for a wide variety of conditions including gynaecological problems.
Most recently, surgeons performed an Australian-first procedure — using the robot to help mums who have previously experienced miscarriages or premature births, carry their babies to full-term.
St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital was also the first hospital in regional Australia to perform robotic-assisted surgery to treat prostate cancer, and the first in the world to perform a voicebox procedure for a throat cancer patient.
Robotic surgery is minimally invasive and involves the use of a computer to control surgical instruments attached to robotic arms.
In the operating theatre, the surgeon uses controls to move a camera and surgical instruments which enable precise and delicate procedures with only small incisions.
Robotically-assisted technology offers many advantages, as it provides surgeons with 3D vision in real time, wristed instruments that improve dexterity and tremor cancelling software that enables surgical precision.
Patient recovery following surgery is also improved, including less pain, blood loss and scarring with a shorter hospital stay and faster return to normal activities.
St Andrew’s Robotic Surgeons have been specially trained in the United States and Asia to enable them to undertake these advanced surgical cases.
This recent significant investment in robotic surgery has, and continues to position St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital at the forefront of technology in line with any metropolitan hospital.