WATCH: Cutting-edge surgical robot helps doctors operate with greater precision

An advanced surgical robot that allows doctors to operate with greater precision has successfully been used on three cancer patients at Tygerberg Hospital this week.

The da Vinci surgical system has an advanced set of instruments that is operated by the surgeon to use during minimally invasive surgery.

Colorectal surgeon, Dr Tim Forgan was the first surgeon to perform a robotic operation in a government hospital in South Africa.

He said the robot has been shown to decrease the chance of complications, while allowing for successful major surgery through small incisions.

“The amazing thing is, you see things ten times better. Everything is magnified ten times compared to looking with your eyes,” he said.

The Western Cape Government acquired two da Vinci Xi systems in October last year. One of the surgical robots went to Tygerberg Hospital and the other to Groote Schuur Hospital.

Using the latest cutting-edge technology the robot has tiny surgical instruments connected to a console which is steered by the surgeon placed close to the operating table.

The system 'translates' a surgeon's hand movements in real time, but with far greater procession and with a significantly greater range of motion.

The robot will be used at Tygerberg Hospital for a number of specialist surgeries, including colorectal surgery, urology, gynaecology, and hepatobiliary surgery.

Surgeons will be able to operate with better visualisation and magnification of tissues with the help of the da Vinci camera.

Being able to do major surgery through multiple small incisions instead of a big skin incision will lead to less postoperative pain and a faster return to normal activities after surgery.

Lorraine Gys, a 62-year-old pensioner from Phillipstown in the Northern Cape was the first South African to undergo an operation where surgeons used the da Vinci surgical system.

Western Cape Minister of Health Nomafrench Mbombo, said that while the focus over the past two years has been on the Covid-19 pandemic, the health sector is now in the process of phasing in non-Covid illnesses.

“Once again, the Tygerberg Hospital has come up with a ground-breaking technology where they will perform robotic surgeries, meaning, they will be the first hospital on the continent to perform these types of surgeries,” she said.