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GPH News Winter 2014

Landmark treatment for Hep C trialled at Greenslopes GPH performs 1st single site robotic cholecystectomy in Australia GPHnews 7 Millions of hepatitis C sufferers around the world could benefit from a new treatment that works in half the time of existing treatments with considerably less side effects. Findings from the study, which has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, cite a 96% virological cure rate for hepatitis. Professor Darrell Crawford who is the Director of Research at Greenslopes Private Hospital’s Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation and a co-author on the study said that this was major advance in the therapy of hepatitis C. The Clinical Trials Unit at Greenslopes was the first site to enrol a patient in the trial outside of the US. Professor Crawford said that these findings have the potential to have a huge positive impact on millions of patients suffering from hepatitis C around the world. It is estimated that 130–150 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C. (World Health Organisation, 2014). “This is encouraging news for around a quarter of a million Australians living with hepatitis C. Findings from the trial show the sustained viral response (SVR) rate for hepatitis C was 96% in patients with the type 1 genotype using this new treatment regime,” Professor Crawford said. Current hepatitis C treatments include medications administered via injections for 24–48 weeks, which often cause many severe side effects, such as anxiety and depression. Treatment in this study was administered orally for only 12 weeks with less than 1% of trial participants discontinuing due to side effects. The surgical team at Greenslopes Private Hospital has performed the first single-site robotically assisted cholecystectomy in Australia. General Surgeon, Dr Shinn Yeung trained in Korea to advance to the innovative single incision technique for removing diseased gallbladders. Cholecystectomy or gallbladder removal for gallstones is the most common abdominal procedure in Australian hospitals. This operation was first performed through a large open incision and currently with multiple incisions with a laparoscope. Dr Yeung has advanced the procedure to a single small incision with the da Vinci robot. Using the da Vinci® single site surgery system, this new technology can safely dissect and remove the gallbladder through a single small 2cm incision. The reduction in the number of wounds has advantages in reducing post-operative pain and improved cosmesis. Patients now have the dual benefits of very little pain and virtually scarless surgery. Findings from the study... ...cite a 96% virological cure rate for hepatitis. COVER STORY


GPH News Winter 2014
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