Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Groote Schuur staff learn how to do robotic surgery with da Vinci Xi
IN OCTOBER last year, a world-renowned device was brought to public state hospitals in South Africa for the first time.
The first to unpack the device was staff at Groote Schuur Hospital and weeks later, Tygerberg Hospital received their own robot.
At Tygerberg Hospital, staff are aiming to perform 20 robotic surgeries in four months, each after training has commenced.
The training sessions include expertise from Europe or the US, which will involve hands-on live sessions on the handling of da Vinci Xi for safe operations.
The next step will be five operations with an accredited da Vinci Xi trainer who will guide surgeons on their stages and learning processes.
The device, which costs R38 million, is expected to perform its first robotic assisted surgery next month at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Department of health spokesperson Mark van der Heever said: “In total, nine staff members are being trained from Groote Schuur Hospital across the different departments.”
Last year the health department confirmed the first patient would be selected from a waiting list.
Robotic assisted surgery takes place every 25 seconds globally.
The device can assist with a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures such as gynaecology, urology, cardiothoracic, colorectal and general surgery and is expected to reduce blood loss, infection recovery and less scarring after surgery.
Chief operating officer of the Western Cape Health Department, Dr Saadiq Karriem, previously said the device would assist with backlogs in surgery due to the global pandemic.
Rozaun Botes, Senior Administration Clerk, Public Relations Department, Tygerberg Hospital, Western Cape Government Health, said as soon as the device was unboxed, staff began training even with 30 hours of simulator sessions where surgeons need to score 90%.
‘“After the delivery of the Tygerberg da Vinci Xi surgical platform on October 7 last year, training was initiated approximately four weeks later.
“This was once the robot had been fully unboxed, had all its systems checked, and secure internet connections were established.
“Training involves following a prescribed training pathway.
“This involves hands-on in-service training and video sessions on the various functions of the robot, this is followed by 30 hours of simulator training (using a simulator computer that is part of the surgeon console part of the robot).
“To progress beyond the simulator phase, the surgeons need to score at least 90% for each of the skills that are considered mandatory to safe robotic surgery.
“The next phase is conducted in one of the da Vinci training centres either in Europe or USA, and involves hands-on live training at the use of the da Vinci for tissue handling and safe dissection.
“Shortly after returning from the da Vinci training centre, robotic operations (about five operations) are scheduled with an accredited da Vinci trainer (proctor), who will guide surgeons through the initial stages of their learning curve.”
He added that staff would be expected to conduct 20 of such surgeries in four months with the guidance of the proctor, who is an expert in the robotic surgery field: “After the initial cases with the proctor, each surgeon is expected to do 20 robotic operations within the next four months.
“During this time the proctor will return a few times to monitor progress and advise on any skills to focus on, or ways to optimise the robotics
programme.”
Just last week, Gift of the Givers contributed R5 million to Groote Schuur Hospital to assist with the 1 500 catch ups which are backlogged surgically.
Founder of Gift of the Givers, Imtiaz Sooliman said the R5 million donation would assist the surgical team with backlogged surgeries.
“Groote Schuur Hospital, under the management of the new surgical head, Dr Lydia Cairncross, will supervise the catch-up of 1 500 backlogged surgical procedures of various medical conditions delayed by Covid-19.
He added the foundation had been injecting millions into the healthcare across 210 hospitals, providing PPE to nasal oxygen and will do so at public hospitals in Mitchells Plain and Eerste River Hospital this year, once they are granted confirmation from the Western Cape Health Department.