A Double Milestone for Robotic Surgery at the San

Associate Professor Stephen Pillinger marked an incredible milestone today, performing his 1,000th robotic procedure using the da Vinci surgical system.

The achievement marks more than a decade of pioneering robotic surgery at the San, with Prof Pillinger performing his first da Vinci case in 2013.

Adding to the significance of the occasion, today’s procedure was also the first use of the telepresence capability on the new da Vinci 5 system, making the San the first hospital in the Southern Hemisphere to utilise the technology.

The telepresence feature enabled five of Prof Pillinger’s surgical peers to tune in remotely and observe the procedure in real time, demonstrating the enormous potential for future training, mentoring and collaboration between surgeons across Australia and around the world.

The milestone comes just weeks after Prof Pillinger became the first surgeon in the Southern Hemisphere to perform a procedure using the da Vinci 5 at the San, further cementing the hospital’s position at the forefront of surgical innovation.

Reaching 1,000 robotic procedures is a testament not only to Prof Pillinger’s expertise and dedication, but also to the skilled nursing, perioperative and support teams who work alongside him to deliver exceptional patient care every day.

Congratulations to Prof Pillinger and the entire team on this outstanding achievement and for continuing to advance the future of surgery at the San.