Southern Cross Wellington Hospital introduces Hugo™ robotic-assisted surgery
Southern Cross Wellington Hospital has marked a major milestone in its redevelopment with the arrival of Hugo™, an advanced robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system.
The Hugo’s arrival is part of a major upgrade and expansion of the hospital campus, and is being used for prostate cancer procedures, alongside other specialties such as gynaecology.
Surgeons operate the system from a console, using 3D visualisation and advanced instruments to perform surgeries using up to four robotic arms depending on the procedure.
Southern Cross Wellington Hospital General Manager Rachael Lucas says the Hugo marks a major step forward not just for Wellington, but for New Zealand healthcare, both public and private.
“Having a competitor in the robotic surgery market has made robotic surgery much more accessible and is giving our specialists the tools they need to deliver better outcomes and faster recovery for our patients.”
Urologist Jim Duthie is the first surgeon to use the Hugo at Southern Cross Wellington Hospital.
He says the new robotic platform is a breakthrough in access to robotic surgery and that outcomes are as good as with the existing platforms.
“The Hugo improves the accuracy and precision of what we do as surgeons, especially in more complex surgeries, through a minimally invasive approach. It also offers improved ergonomics for the surgeon,“ he says.
“We know outcomes for continence and sexual function are better with robotic prostate cancer surgery from locally collected data. There is a faster return to work, less pain, less bleeding, and a lower risk of complications.”
As New Zealand’s largest independent private healthcare provider, Southern Cross Healthcare continues to invest in facilities, technology and partnerships that advance quality healthcare.
The Wellington campus redevelopment is the organisation’s biggest project to date, and includes not only Hugo and new operating theatres, but also a new specialist centre and Wellington’s first orthopaedic day-stay facility.
Hugo™ RAS is a trademark of Medtronic plc.
