Singapore, Feb 23, 2011 - (ACN
Newswire) - The National Heart Centre Singapore
(NHCS) recently completed the first robotic-assisted lobectomy in
Southeast Asia. For the very first time in the region, the diseased
lobe of a lung was removed using a sophisticated robotic system -
the Da Vinci Si Dual. This new development also made NHCS one of
about 25 centres in the world to offer the robotic-assisted
lobectomy surgery to its patients.
The robotic arms with seven degree of movement can perform complex
manoeuvres. It offers superior articulation of the instruments
within the chest and the range of motion of the instruments
actually exceeds that of a human hand. The high technology system
also removes any trembling movement by the human hands. Together
with the highly magnified three-dimension view offered by the
camera, the ergonomic design of the instruments allows surgery to
be done with extremely high precision and safety.
Mdm Goh Geck Khin is one of the two patients who had undergone the
roboticassisted lobectomy surgery at NHCS. She had a
three-centimetre tumour removed from her right lung and was
discharged four days after the operation. "My family was very
worried about me going through a surgery, but everything went well.
I am happy to have only four small wounds and felt very little
pain," said the cheerful 71-year-old grandmother.
Mdm Goh's surgeon, Dr Su Jang Wen, Consultant, Department of
Cardiothoracic Surgery, NHCS shares, "The average length of stay
for the robotic lobectomy is about three to five days, compared to
five to seven days for an open surgery. The precision of the
procedure also means enhanced safety for the patient. Results at
the other centres worldwide have shown that the procedure is as
good as the open surgery method and we are excited to be able to
provide this option to our patients."
Lobectomy or resection of the lung is traditionally done via a long
incision of about ten to 15 centimetres through the chest with
spreading of ribs in order to gain access to the chest cavity.
While the open procedure is still the gold standard, the patients
tend to suffer more pain, longer hospital stay, higher risk of
infection and longer recuperation period before resuming routine
activities. In addition, it also gives patients a long scar.
In the recent five years, NHCS has been performing video-assisted
thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for most early-stage lung cancer
patients. This is a minimally invasive approach which operates
through four small incisions with special long instruments, with no
need to spread the ribs.
However, the VATS method has its limitations. It involves operating
on the lung from outside the chest cavity while looking at a
two-dimension image on a computer screen. As a result, the
perception of depth is lost. The techniques are further limited by
the long and stiff instruments with poor maneuverability. The
operating surgeon also relies very much on the assisting surgeon
holding the camera to capture good images from inside the chest
cavity.
The robotic-assisted lung lobectomy is currently offered to
patients with earlystage lung cancer but its application is
expected to expand to more advancedstage lung cancer surgery in the
future.
NHCS started its robotic-assist minimally invasive cardiothoracic
surgery (RAMICS) programme in 2006 with funding from the SingHealth
Endowment Fund. The programme has grown from strength to strength
and now includes procedures such as internal mammary artery
harvest, removal of the thymus gland, mitral valve repair, closure
of congenital heart defects and most recently the lung
lobectomy.
"The robotic-assisted lung lobectomy is a milestone in NHCS RAMICS
programme. It is also a new option for lung surgeons who want to
give their patients a safer minimally invasive surgery," said Dr
Tan Teing Ee, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiothoracic
Surgery.
NHCS currently performs an average of 1600 cardiothoracic surgeries
a year, of which about 400 are thoracic/lung surgeries.
About the National Heart Centre Singapore
The National Heart Centre Singapore is a 185-bed national and
regional referral centre for cardiovascular diseases. A one-stop
facility with the largest heart specialists group in Singapore,
NHCS treats complex cases and sees the highest volume of heart
patients locally.
Each year, the centre handles over 100,000 outpatient
consultations, 6,000 interventional and surgical procedures and
9,000 inpatients. Its outcomes for heart attack treatment, balloon
angioplasty with stenting and coronary bypass surgery have been
shown to be equivalent to international standards.
NHCS is the first heart centre outside USA and in Asia to receive
the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) since 2005,
which is an assurance for safe and quality patient care for the
patients.
About SingaporeMedicine
Launched in 2003, SingaporeMedicine is a multi-agency
government-industry partnership committed to strengthening
Singapore's position as Asia's leading medical hub, and promoting
Singapore as a world-class destination for advanced patient care.
For more information, please visit www.singaporemedicine.com.
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