The first robot-assisted surgery was performed at Epworth Hospital in 2003.
Twenty years ago last week, the first robot-assisted urology surgery was performed at Melbourne’s Epworth Hospital.
The da Vinci surgical robot, which is made by Intuitive Surgical, has since expanded to assist in cardiac, thoracic, foregut colorectal, gynaecology and oncological surgeries, as well as more complicated procedures including bariatric surgery.
Colorectal surgeon Associate Professor Craig Lynch said robotics had “come such a long way”.
“We can do operations easily, and we can do more complex procedures now that 20 years ago, we really didn’t think possible,” he said.
Robot-assisted surgeries have resulted in shorter hospital stays and minimal pain and complications for patients.
“I think with da Vinci’s technology, we’re going to see many more applications in the years to come,” said Melbourne surgeon Dr Catarina Ang.
Lisa Kirsch from Device Technologies, da Vinci’s distributor, said it was an important milestone.
“As we celebrate 20 years of da Vinci robotic surgery in Australia, it’s important to recognise the incredible journey we’ve embarked on,” she said.
“From the first da Vinci procedure performed at Epworth in 2003 to the widespread adoption across the nation, our commitment to providing sophis9cated, state-of-the-art medical technology has been unwavering.
“These advancements are not just about the technology; they’ve been made possible by ongoing collaboration with surgeons and healthcare customers who are committed to improving outcomes for their patients.
“At Device Technologies, we are proud to have been a part of this revolutionary journey and remain dedicated to pioneering the future of healthcare innovation.”
