When 70-year-old grandfather of six Barry Henderson was diagnosed with lung cancer last month, he was in shock because he had none of the typical symptoms, like a persistent cough or shortness of breath.
But within weeks, the cancerous tumour on the lobe of his right lung doubled in size and he became one of Queensland’s first patients to undergo robotic lung surgery to remove it, at Mater Private Hospital Townsville.
Mr Henderson was discharged two days after the seven-hour surgery and said he was recovering well.
“I had an appointment with Mater’s Cardiothoracic Surgeon Associate Professor Sumit Yadav on the Tuesday and had surgery on the Friday,” Mr 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.” Assoc Prof Yadav performed the groundbreaking surgery using the $3.3m da Vinci Xi robot, state-of-the-art technology provided to Mater Private Hospital Townsville through community donations to Mater Foundation in 2021.
“This is the first time it’s been used for lung surgery and it’s next generation, very precise and minimally invasive,” Assoc Prof Yadav said.
“Robotic surgery is more accurate, and we get better margins, particularly when tumours are close to nerves.”
Retired Mackay sugar mill worker Brian O’Riely underwent robotic surgery for a cancerous growth on the lower side of his left lung on the same morning as Mr Henderson.
It was Mr O’Riely’s second robotic surgery after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer 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.
Like Mr Henderson, Mr O’Riely said he also was shocked by his diagnosis having not experienced any of the typical symptoms of lung cancer and having never smoked.
“I’m feeling better every day- the soreness is going away and I’m recovering very well,” he said.
Assoc Prof Yadav said the two robotic lung surgeries marked a significant milestone for Mater Private Hospital Townsville, and for healthcare services in regional Queensland.
“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.
Dr Yadav started keyhole heart valve surgery in 2012, followed by minimally invasive aortic valve surgery in North Queensland in 2018.
“Having worked in Townsville for over 17 years, I consider myself a local and I am committed to providing the latest surgical advances for North Queensland patients,” he said.
Da Vinci robots use advanced biomechanical modelling to deliver precise, patient-specific surgery in a less invasive way.
General Manager Mater Private Hospital Townsville Stephanie Barwick said the use of the Da Vinci robot for lung surgery means patients in North Queensland will no longer need to travel south for surgery.
“We are committed to improving patient care and investing in advanced technology which puts us at the forefront of innovative robotic surgeries in Australia,” said Ms Barwick.
This latest groundbreaking robotic surgery comes just three weeks after Mater Private Hospital Townsville performed Australia’s first robotic shoulder surgery on Mackay grandmother Kerry Stubbings.
It also follows surgery on three-year-old Ivy Napiorkowski from Weipa, who became Australia’s youngest-ever robotic surgery patient to correct a painful kidney problem.
Mater Private Hospital Townsville is northern Australia’s leading centre for robotic surgery, with doctors using the $3.3m Da Vinci system to perform minimally invasive surgeries.
