A new journey has begun at the Mediclinic Bloemfontein private hospital with the introduction of the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System as the first of its kind in private practice in central South Africa.
The first sacrocolpopexy procedure (a surgical procedure used to treat pelvic organ prolapse) was performed by Dr Do-Jo Jordaan (gynaecologist) on Sunday, 8 June, followed by Dr Jos Myburgh (urologist) who performed a radical prostatectomy (a surgical procedure where all or part of the prostate gland is removed) on Saturday, 14 June, with the robotic surgery system.
International medical literature firmly establishes robotic-assisted surgery as the gold standard for prostatectomies, with both patients and surgeons favouring this approach.
Carol Defty, the hospital’s general manager, said at the launch of the da Vinci system on Tuesday, 24 June, that the use of this kind of technology is without doubt the future of healthcare. “With Mediclinic Bloemfontein providing healthcare to patients from across the central region including the Free State, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Lesotho, this is an important addition to our services,” she said.
Jordaan, having already performed nine surgeries since Tuesday, said the benefit of the system is multi-faceted. “The enhanced 3D vision into the pelvis where you work in a narrow, closed space, makes precise work possible. The patients experience less pain and recovery is much quicker.”
She said in eight of the nine cases, the patients lost less than a teaspoon of blood during the operation.
Dr Carl Streicher (general and bariatric surgeon) will perform his first right hemicolectomy (a surgical procedure to remove either the right or left side of the colon or large intestine) and abdominoperineal resection (a surgical procedure where the anus, rectum, and part of the sigmoid colon are removed to treat rectal or anal cancer), and Dr Francois Kruger (general surgeon) his first right hemicolectomy and low anterior resection (a surgical procedure to remove a portion of the rectum, typically for rectal cancer, and reconnect the remaining rectum to the colon) at the hospital this week.
Dr Rachel Moore, chief medical officer at Mediclinic Southern Africa, says this is one of three da Vinci robotic surgical systems that was taken into use across the group in South Africa. The other three are in Mediclinic Vergelegen, Mediclinic Kloof, and Mediclinic Durbanville.
Other surgeons in Bloemfontein have already started with the long training process before they can use the new system. Urologists Dr Aubrey Coetzer and Dr Willem Dahms will be trained and accredited in the next few months. Each surgeon practises with the simulator for up to 40 or 50 hours before they start operating with a proctor. Only after the intensive training is concluded, are surgeons allowed to use the da Vinci system.
Defty said staff and assisting doctors have also been trained. Depending on the type of surgery, surgeons were trained in different countries including France, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
Also the opportunities that the system holds are endless, including operations from outside the theatre and even across the world.
Moore said in a statement patients who have undergone radical prostatectomies were positively impacted by shorter recovery times and reduced post-operative care needs.
“The average length of stay in hospital for these patients is almost six days for traditional open surgery and just under four days for laparoscopic surgery, which is then halved to a little over two days with robotic-assisted surgery.”
Dr Rachel Moore, chief medical officer at Mediclinic Southern Africa
Defty said as with many procedures performed by laparoscopic surgery a decade ago, all surgery with the da Vinci system is not yet covered by medical aids, but this is sure to change.
“We are very excited about the opportunities created by the use of this new technology. It is all about the patient,” she concluded.
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