Pretoria - The installation of the second Da Vinci robot, known as the all-new Gen 4 X, has further pushed the Urology Hospital in Pretoria to greater heights, as it celebrates being a centre of excellence for Africa and the world.
Boasting 3 500 robotic procedures, it has earned the title of Africa’s first institution to achieve this milestone, 20 years after being built and only a few years after moving towards being the continent’s only centre of excellence in urology.
The hospital said it acquired a surgical robot in 2013, and the state-of-the-art equipment enables specialists to do things never possible with the old machines.
Giving better vision during surgeries, with laser and being voice-over directed, the Da Vinci 4th Generation Robot enables a broader reach than previous generations and can comfortably perform a range of complex procedures allowing more patients to benefit from its upgraded technology.
Dakalo Madzivhandila, Senior Clinical Engineer at the Urology Hospital in Pretoria, gives a tour of the dedicated robotic theatre. @Uroweb #Urology pic.twitter.com/GwhjhTQeFz
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The system allows for greater operating precision, easier access to difficult areas with improved magnification and three-dimensional (3D) viewing.
“You are able to rotate the camera yourself, as it’s got more flexy, smaller, narrower arms. We are also able to do this very complex surgery with very tiny little holes, minimally,” said hospital urologist Dr Kabo Ijane.
Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomies have become the standard of care for patients undergoing prostate cancer-related surgery. The biggest advantage is the precision with which the surgery can be performed using the new Da Vinci 4th Generation Robot.
“Robotic technology is constantly evolving and changing the face of prostate cancer treatment in South Africa. This new robot provides better vision and greater precision during robotic prostatectomies and partial nephrectomies, greatly benefiting patients as the smaller instruments allow for ease of work in smaller areas,” said Dr Lance Coetzee, urologist and robotic surgeon at the Urology Hospital.
Globally cancer is the second leading cause of death, with nearly one in six deaths and more than 1.4 million new prostate cancer cases by 2020.
Prostate cancer tops the list of the five most invasive cancers among South African men, with one in 15 at risk, as reported by the Cancer Association of South Africa.
“Our robotic-assisted prostate surgery is advantageous to our patients, as it reduces levels of postoperative side effects such as incontinence and impotence significantly.
“It is minimally invasive, reduces blood loss, lowers the risk of infection, and allows the patient to recover more quickly with a shorter hospital stay.
“We look forward to training more young surgeons with the new robot for continued surgical innovation and maximising patient care,” Dr Coetzee added.
Procedures done robotically at the Urology Hospital include:
• Prostatectomy: removal of a cancerous prostate.
• Partial nephrectomy: partial removal of a cancerous kidney.
• Nephrectomy: removal of a cancerous kidney.
• Pyeloplasty: reconstructive surgery for the repair of the ureter.
• Sacrocolpopexy: a surgical procedure treating pelvic organ prolapse.
• Robotic enucleation of a large clinical benign prostate.
Pretoria News