The Da Vinci Xi robotics system, described as “the next frontier” for minimally invasive surgery, and already in use at two state hospitals in South Africa, has now been introduced at a private facility in Johannesburg.
And Daniel Surridge, a colorectal surgeon at Netcare’s Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, believes the dividends in patient safety, reduced complications and enhanced surgical outcomes are invaluable.
Specifically, Surridge is referring to Netcare’s introduction this year of Da Vinci Xi, a medical robot, to its surgical team at Milpark.
BusinessLIVE reports that the system enables surgeons to operate, even remotely, through a few incisions by using a high-resolution 3D console allowing them to see anatomical structures in natural colours.
The robot is built by Intuitive Surgical, an American corporation, and was approved by the US Food & Drug Administration in 1997. It could not be used for general surgery until 2000, but since then it has been installed in more than 12 000 locations worldwide.
The Da Vinci Xi was introduced to South Africa at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town in October 2021 and four months later also set up at Tygerberg Hospital.
It has been described by medical users as a “significant leap in surgical capabilities”, with Surridge saying it provides unheard-of precision, dexterity and control during intricate surgical procedures. What it isn’t is autonomous: it serves as an extension of the surgeon’s hands.
Surridge, who specialises in minimally invasive techniques, said it lessens blood loss and reduces post-operative recovery times.
“There is so much more we can do for colorectal conditions: ‘precision surgery’ is what the robotic system is about.”
Does the Da Vinci Xi foreshadow AI-powered robots replacing surgeons?
“I think decision-making and surgery are what sets us apart, but …if something comes in to take over a function that you thought was yours, there will always be something else you need to do,” he said.
The system cannot perform surgery or do anything independently: rather, its movements are controlled by a skilled surgical team, performing additional safety checks, and further complementing the surgeon’s skill.
“The patient is left with only tiny punctures in the skin, where the very slender instruments, far more agile than the human hand, pierce the skin to reach the surgical site deep in the body,” said Surridge.
“The 3D high-definition imaging shows each tiny nerve and blood vessel with exceptional clarity for enhanced precision.”
The Da Vinci Xi has also been a boon for state hospitals. Tim Forgan, a colorectal surgeon at Tygerberg Hospital and a lecturer at Stellenbosch University’s medical faculty, said the robot offers a valuable opportunity to show how a state hospital can function at a very high level.
“Tygerberg already has some of the most advanced minimally invasive surgical skills in the country at its disposal, so being able to promptly apply these skills to the robot is very beneficial for patients and substantiates the reputation of Stellenbosch University for producing excellent surgeons.”
BusinessLIVE article – SA surgeons welcome robot’s deep precision (Open access)
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