News

Greenslopes Private offers latest single incision robotic hysterectomy - first in Queensland

Sep 04, 2015

Leading Gynaecologic Oncologist, Associate Professor Russell Land has successfully performed the first single site robotic hysterectomy in Queensland at Greenslopes Private Hospital in August.

The innovative procedure using the da Vinci^® Surgical System and single site instrumentation involves removing a woman’s reproductive organs through one single two centimetre incision through the belly button, with virtually scarless results.

Single site robotic surgery is the latest advance in robotic surgery that is changing the way surgeons perform complex surgical procedures world-wide.

During a robotic-assisted single-site procedure, the surgeon sits at the robotic console, viewing a 3-D, high-definition camera image of the surgical site. The surgeon uses hand controls to move the camera and instruments — controls that translate hand, wrist and finger movements into more precise movements of the smaller instruments inside the patient.

Associate Professor Land said that the first two procedures went extremely well because of the great team here at Greenslopes and indeed the support from mentor Dr Felix Chan from Westmead Private in Sydney. “You cannot do this alone and we do have a first class team here at Greenslopes.”

“I am very pleased to be able to offer my patients this superior, minimally invasive option for women facing gynaecologic surgery,” Associate Professor Land said.

“Conventional laparoscopy and robotic surgery both offer the promise of less invasive surgery to treat both benign and cancerous gynaecologic conditions however this new technique really takes minimally invasive surgery to the next level – one incision all hidden in the umbilicus”

Single-site surgery goes farther than conventional techniques by allowing surgeons to perform complex abdominal procedures through a single, tiny incision in the belly button. Benefits of this approach include the cosmetically hidden surgical scar at the base of the navel. Additionally, the navel is the thinnest part of the abdominal wall, with few nerves, blood vessels and little muscle, so patients may avoid incisions through their abdominal muscles and may experience less pain after the surgery.

“Patients can look forward to an earlier return to normal function and quality of life, and the cosmetic advantage is very evident as there is minimal scarring,” Associate Professor Land said.

“Virtually any procedure that has been done as an open or conventional operation previously can now be done with the da Vinci^® system including hysterectomy, ovarian cysts, fibroid removal, treatment of endometriosis, treatment of adhesions, uterine and cervical cancer treatments including lymph node assessment and some ovarian cancers. There are still times that an open (laparotomy) procedure may be necessary for a variety of reasons which I discuss with my patients.  However a majority of cases are treated very successfully with the robotic approach.” 

Associate Professor Russell Land Website: www.greenslopesgynaecology.com