Less invasive approaches for better patient outcomes
MQ Health is a centre of excellence in minimally invasive surgery. Our surgeons use cutting-edge techniques and state-of-the-art surgical equipment to perform complex and common treatments for better patient outcomes.
In minimally invasive surgery, doctors use a variety of techniques to operate with less damage to the body than would otherwise occur with open surgery.
Benefits to patients include:
- faster post-operative recovery
- less scarring
- less pain
- shorter intensive care and hospital stays
- faster return to full activity.
At MQ Health we pride ourselves on making available to our patients the technology and experts to be able to perform these cutting-edge procedures when appropriate.
Techniques
Some of our minimally invasive techniques include:
Versius® surgical robotic system
Macquarie University Hospital is the first hospital in Australia to have access to the Versius® surgical robotic system.
Versius® — a next-generation surgical robot — provides our patients with treatment that is more accessible, less invasive and gets patients feeling better, sooner.
This state-of-the-art technology allows us to deliver procedures traditionally performed via open surgery, through a minimal access technique — small form factor and ‘collaborative arm technology’ — allowing your surgeon to better perform delicate and complex operations.
Versius enables us to prioritise what matters most – you.
da Vinci® surgical robot program
MQ Health is home to two highly precise and minimally invasive da Vinci® surgical robots. The da Vinci® surgical system enables surgeons to perform delicate and complex operations through a few small incisions.
Robotic surgery is far less invasive than traditional surgery, and patients experience a much faster recovery time. This state-of-the-art technology provides surgeons with all the clinical and technical capabilities of traditional surgery while enabling them to operate through a few tiny incisions, smaller than a centimetre.
The extensive robotic surgery program at MQ Health enables specialists in other areas to use the device for complex, minimally invasive procedures. More patients can now access and benefit from this advanced approach.
With one of the most comprehensive programs in the country, our specialties that utilise robotic surgery include:
- cardiothoracic surgery
- colorectal surgery
- otorhinolaryngology
- head and neck surgery
- gynaecological surgery
- thyroid surgery
- urological and prostate surgery.
Our cardiothoracic surgeons and interventional cardiologists are among Australia's most experienced in performing:
- Off-pump or "no touch" heart bypass surgery. This reduces the post-operative chance of stroke and produces better outcomes in terms of mortality, renal failure, bleeding complications, atrial fibrillation and length of intensive care stay.
- Minimally invasive heart surgery using video-scope or robotic assistance to allow better visualisation and precise tissue handling. Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement and mitral valve surgery are two major facets of minimally invasive heart surgery.
- Structural heart interventions including TAVI and MitraClip procedures as alternatives to open heart surgery.
Skull base surgery
Our rhinologists team up with oculoplastic, plastic and neurosurgeons in treating either particularly big tumours or complex cases using an endoscopic approach. Done 100 per cent internally, an endoscopic approach uses the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses or ocular walls to remove brain or eye tumours. Using an endoscopic approach means radiosurgery and external craniotomy are avoided.
Neurosurgery
MQ Health is one of a few sites with neurosurgeons trained in microscopic endoscope-assisted neurosurgery, which allows less invasive procedures and quicker post-operative recovery times.
General and other
A number of other surgeries at MQ Health are offered using endoscopic techniques including cancer surgeries, hernias, hysterectomies, kidney disorders and vascular disorders.
MQ Health is home to one of only two Gamma Knives in Australia.
Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) is a safe, effective and non-invasive procedure that uses radiation to treat conditions in and around the brain.
It is sometimes used as a replacement for conventional surgery, but at other times it may be effective in situations where there is no conventional surgical alternative available.
The radiation treatment is delivered with great precision to the target tissue within or around the brain, while minimising any dose to surrounding healthy tissue.
Our approach
Our innovative approach to patient care, research and training ensures our team is a centre of excellence in minimally invasive surgery.
To achieve optimal surgical outcomes, our clinicians work together as a team under a robust, well-established multidisciplinary team (MDT) model. The teams meet regularly to review individual patient cases and decide on the most suitable treatment approach.
Sometimes minimally invasive surgery is not the right option for a patient, so all alternatives — including conventional techniques — must be explored to weigh up the benefits and risks for each individual.
Continuous innovation and development in minimally invasive surgery make it beneficial for people with a wide range of conditions. If you need surgery and want to explore options in terms of a minimally invasive approach, talk to your doctor.
As minimally invasive surgery crosses a number of clinical programs and disciplines our research in this space is broad and far-reaching.
We focus on outcomes to ensure the benefits and safety of these cutting edge techniques and procedures for all of our prospective patients.
All of our specialists using minimally invasive techniques have received international training and proctoring in their various fields to ensure patient safety and access to the very latest minimally invasive treatments.
MQ Health's surgical registrars and fellows all gain exposure to minimally invasive techniques and world-class technology during their training with us. Training in robotic surgery is a core part of the surgical training program at MQ Health.