News

Albury Wodonga Private Hospital welcomes the border region’s first surgical robot

Mar 23, 2022

Albury Wodonga Private Hospital has bought state-of-the-art robotic technology to the border region for the first time, unveiling a new Robotic Surgical Assistant (ROSA).

The ROSA system is designed to help surgeons to perform total knee arthroplasty with increased accuracy, reproducibility and control.

Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr George Gayagay was the first surgeon to utilise the device at Albury Wodonga Private Hospital and said with thorough pre-planning, the system was designed to tailor a balanced and precise placement of knee implants for each individual patient and thereby improve outcomes.

“The ROSA allows surgeons to plan surgery in 3D and quantify stability and alignment in real time. It then acts as an assistant during the procedure to help navigate the surgery in a minimally invasive manner,” Dr Gayagay said.

“Using a robot instead of the traditional method of surgery means we have enhanced visualisation and assessment throughout the procedure. The ROSA is designed to also offer greater control and flexibility of instruments and to support precision placement of knee implants. Good outcomes can therefore be reproducible.”

The ROSA is not only restricted to knee replacements and is currently under trial for other knee surgeries and hip replacements.

Albury Wodonga Private Hospital CEO, Sheryl Keir, said she was proud the hospital could bring robotic technology to the border region for the first time.

“Residents from Albury, Wodonga and surrounding communities can now access first class orthopaedic care close to home, without the need to travel to Sydney or Melbourne,” Ms Keir said.

“Highly specialised training is required to operate the region’s first surgical robot, and with the assistance of a fantastic team of nurses, anaesthetists and more, you’re in great hands at Albury Wodonga Private Hospital.

“We’re proud to be at the forefront of bringing advanced surgical technology to the region.”

In recent years, Dr. Gayagay introduced the first Artificial Intelligence (AI) guided and 3D printed knee replacements into the region. Through ongoing research, he hopes to unify all technologies to manage challenging knees.