A SPECIALIST surgeon has performed the Mornington Peninsula’s first liver resection using a surgical robot.
Associate Professor Charles Pilgrim performed the surgical-first earlier this month at Peninsula Private Hospital.
The patient was a 49-year-old woman whose bowel cancer had spread to her liver.
Dr Pilgrim, the first surgeon in Victoria to use the da Vinci Xi robot for liver resections, said the cutting edge technology was great news for the hospital.
“Using the da Vinci Xi robot means we can perform surgery with the minimally invasive approach more often, expanding what is possible using the keyhole approach,” Dr Pilgrim said.
“There are areas of the liver that you can get to with the robot that you just can’t get to with traditional laparoscopic surgery. The instruments give you more flexibility to give more precise directions in hard-to-reach areas.”
Peninsula Private CEO Michelle Henderson said the patient was able to receive all of her cancer treatment close to home, without having to travel into Melbourne.
“We have a fantastic team of specialists here and this year we became the first in the region to offer patients access to the da Vinci Xi robot technology,” Ms Henderson said.
It was significant that the patient had been able to see Mr Stewart Skinner for her bowel surgery, oncologist Dr Simone Steel for her chemotherapy and Dr Pilgrim for her liver surgery at the Frankston hospital.
“To have that continuity of care is something we’re really proud to bring to this region because we’re focused on providing locals with access to top medical care close to home,” Ms Henderson said.