This is the goal of St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Melbourne; to provide modern robotic-surgical systems, state-of-the-art operating rooms and the highest standards of patient care.
On May 16, in the heart of Richmond, the hospital’s outstanding staff organised an exclusive luncheon to explore the future of surgery titled Inside the Operating Room: Robotics and Innovations in Surgery.
It was a unique opportunity to engage with some of Australia’s most respected surgeons on the transformative impact of robotics and the latest technologies in the operating room.
Presenting at the event were thoracic surgeon Dr. Gavin Wright, neurosurgeon Dr. Yi (Ian) Wang and urologist Dr. Anthony Ta.
Janine Loader, CEO of St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Melbourne, was the first to welcome the many attendees.
“Your presence means more than words can express,” she began. “As a not-for-profit organisation that receives no government funding, we rely on the generosity and philanthropic spirit of supporters like you to continue our mission.
“Your support enables us to invest in world-class surgical technology, advance patient care and ensure our hospital remains at the forefront of innovation and excellence.
“We are committed to becoming leaders in robotics and medical technology, and with your support, we can achieve this.”
The event highlighted how the integration of robotic technologies in surgical procedures can truly transform the patient’s post-operative journey and deliver life-changing care.
Advanced tools such as the ‘da Vinci 5’ robotic system, the Loop-X imaging robot and intraoperative imaging technologies allow the surgeons at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Melbourne “to see better, move with greater precision and operate more effectively, turning high-risk surgeries into safer, more predictable procedures”.
With over twenty-five years of experience, thoracic surgeon Dr. Gavin Wright is currently the Director of Surgical Oncology at St Vincent’s Hospital. He’s also a specialist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital.
At the Richmond event, he emphasised how surgery can truly change people’s lives and how the latest innovations can simplify medical journeys that were once deeply painful.
“The one thing that used to upset me is that I would do a big cut on a patient’s chest and it would take them many months to recover – [that’s] a lot of pain,” he explained.
“And although I was curing their condition or improving their condition, I was making their life miserable for the next couple of months. And the advantage of keyhole surgery was that we could reduce that down to small holes.
“And we did a lot of good with just standard keyhole surgery, where I’d use a long instrument and operate it with my own hands, but it didn’t allow us to do the most complex of surgery.
“Now, with robotic surgery, there are some operations that can even be done better than with the big cut, because we can get into very small, difficult areas with beautiful vision that we couldn’t before.
“So, the joy for me from the patient perspective is that I now see patients recover in days and weeks instead of weeks and months. And that is so rewarding to me.”
Thoracic surgeon Dr. Gavin Wright with patient Andja Markovic
Andja Markovic, who arrived in Australia in 1995 with her husband and two children after fleeing the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She attended the event to demonstrate the remarkable results of robotic surgery.
Markovic underwent radiotherapy 23 years ago to treat breast cancer, and recently received robotic surgery from Dr. Wright, who explained to her that it was the best option.
“[Dr. Wright] explained … [that] because my skin was under radio treatment 23 years ago for my breast cancer, he said if we cut it open, it probably wouldn’t heal,” she shared.
“[He said], ‘We would rather do robotic surgery. It’s a short [recovery] time and everything will be fine.’
“And I really trusted him. Today is my 16th day after surgery and I feel good and energetic,” Markovic revealed.
“I can sleep well, I eat well, I can walk for two kilometres by myself. My range of movement is fine. I’m very happy and I feel very lucky.”
St Vincent’s Private Hospital is ready to invest in the future of healthcare by equipping itself with cutting-edge technologies and cementing its role as a leader in surgical innovation.
For those interested in donating to the cause, you can contact Cameron Smith at: cameron.smith@svha.com.au.
