Netcare Waterfall equipped to fight prostate cancer
WATERFALL - Netcare Waterfall Hospital has new advanced robotic technology that enables surgeons to perform highly intricate, minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Netcare said this marks an important step forward for medicine in South Africa, and will be used to perform any procedures, including prostatectomies to treat prostate cancer – a procedure that requires great surgical precision.
A Cape Town Netcare hospital has also acquired the technology. There are just under 2 900 Da Vinci robotic systems installed in 54 countries.
Jacques du Plessis, managing director of the Netcare hospital division said, “The new technology is a major investment by our group in South African medicine, and is driven by our commitment to continue creating an environment for our specialists to offer their patients the latest in prostate cancer treatment [which has] been proven internationally to enhance outcomes. Superb clinical outcomes are being achieved with the system, which is highly regarded around the globe.”
Dr Marius Conradie, a urologist based at Netcare Waterfall City Hospital and one of the first four specialists who will be performing this type of surgery there, mentioned other advantages.
Conradie said, “It is a much less invasive form of surgery than open surgery, resulting in a shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery time; while patients experience reduced blood loss during surgery and reduced post-operative pain as smaller incisions are required. In addition there is much less need for blood transfusions and there is a lower risk of wound infection.”
Conradie also said it allowed the surgeon improved dexterity and a steadier “hand” when performing the procedure.
“The technology translates the surgeon’s hand movements on the instruments on the console into corresponding movements of the robotic arm instruments inside the patient, which gives the surgeon excellent control in performing a wide range of motions,” said Conradie.
Conradie, as well as adjunct professor and academic head of the Division of Urology at the University of the Witwatersrand Prof. Mohamed Haffejee; Dr Evangelos Apostoleris who practices at Netcare Olivedale Hospital; and Dr Johan Venter from Netcare Pretoria East Hospital have already completed all the training modules.
