Two men are recovering well after becoming the first patients to undergo robotic lung surgery for cancer in Queensland, in a major leap forward for regional healthcare.
The groundbreaking procedures were performed at Mater Private Hospital in Townsville using a $3.3 million Da Vinci Xi robot, one of the most advanced surgical tools in the country.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Sumit Yadav said the technology allows for minimally invasive, highly accurate tumour removal — a game-changer for patients in northern Australia.
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“This is the first time it’s been used for lung surgery and it’s next-generation, very precise and minimally invasive,” he said.
“Robotic surgery is more accurate, and we get better margins, particularly when tumours are close to nerves.”
70-year-old Barry Henderson, a grandfather of six, had no warning signs when he was diagnosed with lung cancer last month.
Within weeks, the tumour had doubled in size.
“I had an appointment with Mater’s cardiothoracic surgeon on the Tuesday and had surgery on the Friday,” Henderson said.
“Thankfully my GP noticed abnormalities on a blood test and then sent me to specialists who detected the cancerous tumour after a CT scan.
“I’m so impressed by how quickly things happened; the doctors have definitely saved my life.”
He was discharged just two days after the seven-hour operation.
On the same morning, retired Mackay sugar mill worker Brian O’Riely also underwent robotic lung surgery for a tumour on the lower side of his left lung.
It was the second time O’Riely had undergone robotic surgery, having had prostate cancer removed using the same technology two years ago.
“I was very keen to have robotic surgery on my lung, because it was so successful for my prostate cancer operation and I know that the pain and recovery time is reduced,” he said.
“I’m feeling better every day — the soreness is going away and I’m recovering very well.”
Yadav said both surgeries marked a major milestone for regional patients.
“Both surgeries went very well, and this will be the standard of care in the future, not just here in Townsville but hopefully right across the state,” he said.
Mater Private Hospital Townsville General Manager Stephanie Barwick said patients in North Queensland now have access to world-class surgical technology close to home.
“We are committed to improving patient care and investing in advanced technology which puts us at the forefront of innovative robotic surgeries in Australia,” she said.
The procedure follows other robotic firsts for the hospital, including Australia’s first robotic shoulder surgery performed just three weeks earlier and robotic kidney surgery on a three-year-old girl from Weipa.
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