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New Era Of Surgery Thanks To Gordon Pickard's $3m Gift - Now it's Dr Robot

10/09/2004, The Advertiser

The Advertiser
Edition 1 - StateFRI 10 SEP 2004, Page 007
NEW ERA OF SURGERY THANKS TO GORDON PICKARD'S $3m GIFT
Now it's Dr Robot
By Health Reporter LAURA ANDERSON

IT is a high-tech piece of machinery with four robotic arms, a three-dimensional camera and the ability to perform complex surgical procedures with a surgeon sitting metres away.
This $3 million piece of technology, named ``da Vinci'' is also the future for some surgical procedures as the latest addition to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
It is the first of its kind in a public hospital in the state, and say surgeons, represents ``the surgery of the future''.
The surgical system is also one of property developer and philanthropist Gordon Pickard's most personal gifts, after ``da Vinci'' successfully rid him of prostate cancer in January.
``What should have normally been around a week in hospital . . . I was in for a total of 43 hours,'' Mr Pickard said yesterday.
``It highly reduced the trauma, the downtime, the worktime, one of the most tremendous things I have ever experienced.''
After surgery at the Epworth Private Hospital in Melbourne earlier this year - the only other hospital in Australia with the technology - Mr Pickard made the decision to bring the technology to South Australia.
``I requested this to be in a public hospital so whether you are a labourer or you are a lawyer, you can be operated on,'' he said. ``Wealth shouldn't matter with health.''
Head of urology at the RAH, Peter Sutherland, said the technology was a ``marvellous international innovation'' and a major move for the state.
``The surgeon doesn't need to be standing over the patient while he is operating, he could be at an independent site, he could even be operating from London or New York,'' Dr Sutherland said.
``The robotic arms are under control from a separate console and move like the human hand within the human body.''
``It means surgery can be done at greater ease, much quicker, fewer complications and people can be in and out of the hospital quicker.
``Patient's hospital stay can be a quarter of their usual stay.''
Mr Pickard donated about $2.4 million for ``da Vinci'' with businessmen Michael Brock, Rob Gerard and Glen Cooper also contributing.
``There is a corporate community responsibility,'' Mr Pickard said. ``It is now up to corporates to put so much back into the community . . . because the Government can really only go so far.''
The State Government will pick up recurrent costs of the machinery, at an estimated annual cost of $500,000.
``The health dollar is very precious and it has to go to many places,'' Health Minister Lea Stevens said.
```When we have an individual like Gordon Pickard who has, from his own experience, seen a need and expressed a need to give back, we say fantastic.''
The technology will initially be used for prostate and cardiac surgery, with the first operation scheduled for November.
The RAH is training four surgeons, with the technology available to public and private patients who will be assessed on their clinical needs.

ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEM
1 Robotic operating arm there are two of these, on the right and left, to perform the surgery.
2 Robotic arm with a camera. The threedimensional camera can move and zoom in and out.
3 Screen showing the procedure. This is so assistants and nursing staff can watch.
4 Console from where the surgeon operates. The surgeon has his hands inside the console on pincer grip instruments which are mimiced by the robot. Giving the surgeon "miniature hands" with a range of movements better than the human wrist.

Caption:  GIFT: Philanthropist Gordon Pickard and RAH head of urology Dr Peter Sutherland with the da Vinci robotic surgical system, donated by the Pickard Foundation.
Illus:  Photo: gordon pickard and dr peter sutherland
Photo: robotic arms of da vinci surgical system
IllusBy:  DARREN SEILER
Library Heading:  Robots
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Medical instruments and apparatus
BIOG:  PICKARD GORDON WINSTON Section:  NEWS

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