Professor Ben Dixon, Director of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery, and Dr Edwin Morrison, Plastics and Reconstructive Surgeon, used the da Vinci robot and the Symani robotic system in combination to successfully operate on Jordan, a 27-year-old man, who had a sarcoma deep in his throat just above his voice box.
Initially, it was thought that Jordan may need a laryngectomy (permanent removal of the voice box), however by undertaking the pioneering procedure, the surgeons were able to successfully keep Jordan’s larynx intact. The tumour was completely removed while preserving his ability to speak, and Jordan requires no further treatment.
Without the precision and accuracy provided by these robotic systems working together, Jordan would have lost his voice box, but instead he’s back to his old life.
“Without the robotic approach, I would have had to operate from the outside, around the tumour, to make the internal incision, without the visibility of internal structures,” Prof Dixon said.
“This is a great example of incremental improvements in care, using the latest technology to realise better patient outcomes, while not compromising tumour management.”
By combining these two robotic systems, St Vincent’s surgeons are expanding the boundaries of what’s surgically achievable. And while the technology may be new, Dr Morrison said collaboration like this is business as usual for the St Vincent’s plastic surgery unit.
“We collaborate with ear nose and throat, breast, orthopaedic and hand surgeons to enable them to treat complicated cases relating to cancer, trauma and infection,” Dr Morrison said.
“These surgeries often involve two or three surgical specialties working together across the entire day to ensure patients benefit from the latest expertise and techniques.”
St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne is the first hospital in the Southern Hemisphere and Asia-Pacific region to use the Symani Surgical System, and is engaged in a worldwide collaborative effort to explore the scope of its clinical potential.
“The plastic surgery unit truly stands on the shoulders of giants. As pioneers in the development of microsurgical reconstruction in the 1970s, including in the head and neck region, we are now proud to be forging ahead with the Symani robot to explore the next frontier in reconstructive surgery,” said Dr Morrison.
