Epworth HealthCare is an Australian leader in robotic surgery. We pioneered the use of the da Vinci® robotic system in 2003, completing the first robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy in Australia, at Epworth Richmond.
Possible benefits for patients
- Quicker return to normal activity
- Less blood loss
- Less scarring than other traditional open surgery
- Lower blood transfusion rates
- Lower risk of infection
- Reduced surgical complications
- Shorter hospital stay
Which procedures can be performed using a robot?
The most common procedure performed using a robot is a radical prostatectomy.
Other procedures using robotic assisted surgery include:
- Anterior resection for rectal cancer
- Hysterectomy
- Heart valve surgery
- Partial nephrectomy for kidney cancer
- Radical cystectomy for bladder cancer
- Selected head and neck cancers (trans-oral robotic surgery)
Australian robotic surgery firsts at Epworth
- First cardiac surgery in Australia using a robot
- First hospital in Australia to install a dual-console robot for training
- First hysterectomy in Australia using a robot
- First radical cystectomy (bladder removal) using a robot
- First radical prostatectomy in Australia using a robot
- Robotic Surgical Specialties at Epworth