How Medtronic is strengthening its robotics portfolio

MedTech News: The use of robotic-assisted surgery in gynaecology has expanded in recent years owing to technical advances.

Hurstville Private Hospital is the first in Australia to offer patients access to minimally invasive procedures with Medtronic’s Hugo Robotic Assisted Surgery (RAS) system.

The surgeon who performed the first procedures was Gynaecologist, Dr Danny Chou.

“Hugo RAS is the latest surgical robotic platform with enhanced capability that facilitates surgical procedures and it’s a very exciting advancement in the field of minimal invasive gynaecological surgery,” stated Dr Chou.

Last week Dr Chou demonstrated the robot by livestream for colleagues attending the Sydney Women’s Endosurgery Centre and Australian Gynaecological Endoscopy Surgery Meeting, showcasing the robot’s capability. 

A meta-analysis by Shazly et al assessed robotic-assisted laparoscopy for radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer and concluded that there were fewer complications for robotic-assisted surgery compared with open surgery.

In the study of 5654 patients by Jorgensen et al, improved survival and reduced risk of severe complications were seen in women with early-stage endometrial cancer who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopy vs conventional surgery.

In the case of Medtronic’s Hugo, the system has a modular design, with each of the robotic arms mounted on a separate cart so that the surgeon need not use all of them for more straightforward procedures. It also has powerful data and analytics capabilities including Touch Surgery Enterprise to record, store and analyse surgical videos.

“This is an incredibly exciting moment for Hurstville Private Hospital as we continue to expand our portfolio of offerings in robotic-assisted surgery. The Hugo RAS system is an investment in our patients and underscores our commitment to provide them with the latest advancements in medical technology and the best possible care,” said Martina Goddard, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Hurstville Private Hospital

One of the perceived limitations of robotic surgery remains its higher costs. A meta-analysis of 36 studies by Ind et al. reported that robotic-assisted laparoscopy hysterectomy is associated with favourable clinical outcomes, with shorter stays in hospital, reduced blood loss, conversions to laparotomy and lower overall complications, but it is more expensive than conventional laparoscopy in gynaecological surgery. However, studies looking at long term cost-effectiveness of robotics in gynaecological surgery need to consider the complexity of the surgical procedure and women’s comorbidities.

Hurstville Private Hospital in Sydney’s south has been recognised as a Centre of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, Colorectal Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation, the first hospital in Sydney to be recognised with the prestigious accreditation.

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