Sydney Adventist Hospital (the San) are conducting a hernia quality improvement project. Commencing in July, the “High Volume Day-Case Robotic Inguinal Hernia Project” will assess the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of robotic-assisted hernia repairs. The San was the first hospital nationwide to introduce a zero-extra-cost model for robotic surgery. 

Early findings of this method of hernia treatment show that robotic hernia repair is less invasive and leads to less pain, less complications, a shorter hospital stay, and a quick return to everyday activities.

‘These outcomes are well documented,’ says Associate Professor Stephen Pillinger. ‘The purpose of this project is to prove we can run a high-volume robotic inguinal hernia service that is beneficial for our patients as well as being efficient and economical.’

With the robotic hernia surgeries, patients have been found to recover much quicker in comparison to other methods of hernia repair, reporting there is almost no pain 28-days post operation.

‘I went into hospital at 6.30am to have the surgery, and was home by 6pm that night,’ says Rob, years-long hernia sufferer. ‘Honestly, if I’d known a few years ago that this type of surgery was around, I’d have had it done then. I had surgery in August and six weeks later I was back to playing golf.’

The “High Volume Day-Case Robotic Inguinal Hernia Project” will analyse the results of 200 inguinal hernia patients, which refers to hernias in the groin area. The results of the project will be published mid 2024.

‘The six surgeons currently involved in this project feel that robotics is the best approach for hernia repair for patients,’ says A/Professor Pillinger. ‘Until now, there hasn’t been the hard data to back this up, and that’s one of the things we hope to achieve with this project.’