Inspired by a surgical revolution he witnessed in the USA, urologist Professor Tony Costello spearheaded the introduction of robotic surgery in Australia.<\/p>\n
“I had seen a prototype of robotics in the US, developed by a start-up company at Stanford University,” Prof. Costello said.<\/p>\n
“The US Department of Defence and NASA collaborated to build a robot that would digitise a surgeon’s hand movements inside a body, through small ports. I was just blown away by the technology.”<\/p>\n
When Prof Costello returned to Australia, he met with Epworth CEO Denis Hogg.<\/p>\n
“Denis, in his great wisdom, spent $3 million and purchased one of the robots.”<\/p>\n
The Da Vinci surgical robot was the first in the Asia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n
Professor Tony Costello conducted the ground-breaking operation on a prostate cancer patient.<\/p>\n
“There were no textbooks or training videos,” Prof. Costello said.<\/p>\n
“We soon became leaders in the field, developing a program to train 53 international surgeons at Epworth.”<\/p>\n
Two decades later, Epworth hospitals are celebrating their role in revolutionising surgical procedures.<\/p>\n
The group now boasts nearly 20 robots which in 2022 alone played a key role in over 2,500 surgeries across various specialties including orthopaedics, urology, general surgery, cardiac, and more.<\/p>\n
Epworth Geelong installed its first surgical robot in 2018.<\/p>\n
Professor Glenn Guest oversees surgical training at the centre.<\/p>\n
“Traditionally, a doctor would learn surgery by watching a mentor, who is a senior surgeon performing the operation. However, there is a big step from observation to performing surgery, with surgical instruments in their hands,” Prof. Guest said.<\/p>\n
“In some of our hospitals, Epworth now has dual console surgical robots, so a trainee can gain a simulated experience, while an experienced surgeon performs the operation.<\/p>\n
“It means the trainee surgeon is seeing and feeling what the senior surgeon is doing and you can phase the level of responsibility the trainee surgeon takes on.<\/p>\n
“It’s like learning to drive, when you sit in a car with a driving instructor who has a dual control. It is a tremendous way of teaching surgeons.”<\/p>\n
A significant milestone was in 2017 when robots began assisting in joint replacement surgeries at Epworth.<\/p>\n
Since then, more than 2,500 procedures, including hip, knee, and partial knee replacements, have been performed.<\/p>\n
In 2021, Epworth Geelong was the first hospital in regional Victoria to get a Mako robot for orthopaedic surgery.<\/p>\n
Last financial year, the centre undertook 285 robotic surgeries in orthopaedics, general, urology, and gynaecology.<\/p>\n
Prof. Costello has since written a ground-breaking textbook on robotic surgery.<\/p>\n
This extensive 800-page textbook, edited by urologist Dr Fairleigh Reeves, illustrates the collaborative nature encouraged by robotic technology in surgical practices.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on the early days, Prof. Costello said it took a few years before surgeons were convinced that robots were the way of the future.<\/p>\n
“It took me about four years to realise the train had well and truly left the station and we weren’t going back.<\/p>\n
“20 years later, we now have ten different robotic systems in every surgical discipline,” Prof. Costello said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Inspired by a surgical revolution he witnessed in the USA, urologist Professor Tony Costello spearheaded the introduction of robotic surgery in Australia. “I had seen a prototype of robotics in the US, developed by a start-up company at Stanford University,” Prof. Costello said. “The US Department of Defence and NASA collaborated to build a robot […]<\/p>\n