The future of surgery has arrived at the QEII Health Sciences Centre Hospital in Halifax as state-of-the-art robotics have made their way into the operating room.
More than 100 surgeries have been performed on patients since the facility began incorporating robot-assisted surgery in February 2019.
The DaVinci Robot was brought in by the QEII Foundation which has raised $5.6 million through donations so far, with a goal of raising another $2.5 million to complete the purchase of the machine and ensure its operating funding for the next five years.
Through the use of the apparatus, a tiny camera is inserted into the patient which gives the surgeon a 3D view they can control.
They also control tiny mechanical arms that are equipped with pinchers that add another level of precision, eliminating any unsteadiness of their own hands.
“This is really the tip of the wedge,” explained Foundation CEO Bill Bean. “In 20 years this will not be a topic of conversation, it will be standard of care here.”
READ MORE: Halifax gets B grade, seventh place in Canadian health ranking report
So far, procedures have been performed on kidney, prostate and gynecological cancer patients.
In the future, they plan to incorporate other surgeries, with Bean saying that more and more, robotics are playing a major role in healthcare.
“We’re breaking ground here.”
“This is widely used across Canada and North America and globally,” explained Dr. Ross Mason. “This is essentially allowing us to give world-class care to our patients.”
Mason is a urologist at the QEII who has performed a number of procedures using the apparatus.
READ MORE: Setting ‘realistic’ goals key to staying on top of new year’s resolutions: health professionals
A native of Pictou County who studied in the United States at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, he says having this kind of cutting-edge equipment brings a variety of benefits.
Surgeons sit at the machine with their backs to the operating table and a 3D camera they control shows them the patient. They then use tiny mechanical arms to perform the surgery. Those give surgeons an even steadier hand and can rotate much further than their own arms. pic.twitter.com/F55NXDmjm4
— Jeremy Keefe (@Jeremy_Keefe) December 24, 2019
The positives for the surgeons? Less wear and tear on their bodies as years of delicate surgery can wreak havoc on fingers and joints.
Another benefit is more broadly-based, as they believe having state-of-the-art equipment for medical students to train on will help in the quest to attract physicians to the region.
“Maritimers want to come home,” Mason said.
“Having this here at the QEII really is going to allow us to attract and retain surgeons and keep them in our environment which I think is a win for everyone,” he said.
To learn more about the program or how to donate to it the foundation encourages everyone to visit their website at http://www.qe2robotics.ca
- Buzz kill? Gen Z less interested in coffee than older Canadians, survey shows
- Naloxone-resistant street drug linked to 9 deaths in Eastern Canada seized in Alberta
- Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ WHO says. Here’s what to know
- ‘She gets to be 10’: Ontario child’s heart donated to girl the same age
Comments