Groote Schuur Hospital – a world renown medical institution known for its technological advancements – will become the first public sector hospital in Africa to perform Robotic Surgery for use in the treatment of a wide range of conditions.
Last week the hospital launched the da Vinci Xi fourth generation Robot which will be used in theatres.
According to the hospital, the System represents four generations and nearly 20 years of learning how to enhance surgical performance by creating a natural extension of the surgeon’s eyes and hands.
It has the capabilities to be used across a wide spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimised for complex, multi‐quadrant surgeries. The new technology allows for minimally invasive surgery for complex diseases and conditions in gynaecology, urology, cardiothoracic, colorectal and general surgery.
Robotic surgery has many benefits for the patients:
– Patients who undergo this service enables quicker recovery time to be with their families and to return to work.
– Less pain and scaring.
– Reduced risk of infection and blood loss.
Dr Bhavna Patel, CEO of Groote Schuur Hospital, said, “Groote Schuur Hospital are proud to continue innovating with this cutting-edge technology. This particular system is the first of its kind being used in Africa and we are the first public sector hospital to start robotic surgery in South Africa. We are proud to be able to offer our patients the benefits of these new techniques that lessen operating time, complications and hospital stay, with a quicker recovery time – all in all, a better experience pre and post operation. “
The Western Cape Minister of Health Nomafrench Mbombo, said: “Once again, the Groote Schuur Hospital has come up with a groundbreaking technology where we will perform robotic surgeries, meaning, we will be the first hospital on the continent to come up with this innovation. The timing is perfect, just because after this surgery patients have a shorter hospital stay and recovery time which allows them to get home quicker to be with their families and to return to work. Now we can phase-in non-covid illnesses. We are facing an insurmountable backlog but with this innovation, we have hope of catching up. I applaud the team of the hospital, well done.”
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