Robotics 1: Pictured is the surgical team that performed the 1000th Robotic Assisted Surgery in the Mater Hospital. Left to right: Mr Greg Nason, Consultant Urologist; Ms Clare O Connell, Specialist Registrar; Ms Orla Cullivan, Specialist Registrar; Heidi Punzalan, Theatre Nurse; CNM2 Fiona Murphy; Kasto Piopongco, Theatre Nurse and Dr Cara Connolly, Consultant in Anaesthesia.
The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital has reached an important milestone this month, as surgeons complete the 1000th robotics-assisted surgery.
The Robotic Surgical Programme is now in its fifth year, having been launched in 2019. Thanks to the generosity of the Mater Hospital Foundation’s supporters across Ireland, the hospital secured a state-of-the-art Da Vinci XI robot.
Since its launch, the programme has immeasurably improved outcomes for cancer patients and their families and has quickly expanded to involve sixteen surgeons across six specialities, including Urology, Cardiothoracic, Colorectal, Head and Neck, Gynaecology, and Hepatobiliary.
As a national university training hospital, the Mater Hospital plays a key role in building robotics expertise for Irish healthcare.
Mr Greg Nason, Consultant Urologist in the Mater Hospital who performed the 1000th surgery says, “The Robotic Programme in the Mater has been a great success thanks to the Mater Hospital Foundation’s generosity. The expertise that has been established within the hospital from a nursing and medical perspective has allowed us to offer a multi-speciality programme to our patients. Within urology, robotic surgery is now the standard for most major prostate and bladder cancers as well as many kidney cancers.”
Mr Nason explains the many benefits of this type of advanced surgery, “The robotic platform allows surgeons perform difficult procedures with better magnification and fine movements due to the small robotic instruments ultimately leading to a less invasive operation for patients. Overall, the patient experience is improved due to smaller incisions, less blood loss and less pain resulting in them going home earlier and having an easier recovery. Our robotic programme has gone from strength to strength due to the enthusiasm within the hospital and will continue to expand to offer timely robotic surgery to more and more Mater patients.”
Commenting on the programme and the 1000th robotics-assisted procedure, Alan Sharp, CEO of the Mater Hospital says, “The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital has long been at the centre of groundbreaking moments in medical care, that are continuing to change and improve the lives of people across Ireland. Many of these pioneering initiatives have been made possible because of the generosity of Mater Hospital Foundation supporters.”
Chief Executive of the Mater Hospital Foundation Mary Moorhead says, “We are so proud of the role that our supporters have played in making the Robotic Assisted Surgical Programme a reality and helping the hospital reach this important milestone. Through their kindness and generosity, our community of care nationwide is continuing to make transformative change possible in our hospital.”
She adds, “None of this would be possible without the skill and technical expertise of the Mater’s surgical teams. I would like to pay tribute to every clinician involved in the Robotic Surgical Programme for their work in improving outcomes for cancer patients.”
To find out more about the Mater Hospital Foundation and to support the life-saving work that happens in the Mater Hospital every day, visit www.materfoundation.ie.
