Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about some extraordinary work being carried out by the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane. It is leading Australia in pioneering an extremely complex surgery using the state-of-the-art da Vinci surgical system, a robotic platform for operating on the human body in the most minimally invasive way. Dr Geoff Coughlan, a urologist, and Dr Nigel Dunglison are using the da Vinci system to perform radical cystectomy. This is a process that can be utilised in the removal of the bladder, pelvic lymph nodes, and prostates in men and in the reconstruction of the bladder in cancer victims. This robotic system, using several keyhole incisions, makes surgery safer for patients, is less intensive, significantly reduces blood loss and speeds up the post-operative recovery process, thereby saving patients' lives.

Dr Coughlan joined the Wesley Hospital in 2010 to develop the hospital's robotic surgery program, which has today operated on over 1,000 patients. While this technique is relatively new in Australia, there are centres in Europe and the United States that have standardised this platform for advanced and aggressive cancer. It gives me great pleasure to speak of the Wesley Hospital's achievement today and to continue to highlight the outstanding work of various medical institutions in the electorate of Ryan.