Medical training facility opens

Experts say new center will help lessen economic burdens of domestic institutions and promote faster adoption of robotic surgical technology in the city

The country's first international training center for the da Vinci robotic surgical system has opened in Shanghai and it is expected to boost the promotion of such advanced robotic medical devices as well as accelerate the rate at which experts in this field are cultivated.

Located in the Changhai Hospital, the facility can provide training for more than 500 people each year. The training center is also equipped with staff who can help with translation matters.

The da Vinci robotic surgical system is designed to facilitate complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach, and is controlled by a surgeon from a console. Such systems are commonly used for prostatectomies and increasingly for cardiac valve repair and gynecologic surgical procedures.

Since 2006 when the first robotic surgical system was introduced to China, more than 40,000 surgical cases have been completed using such technology.

Despite having been around for about a decade, medical institutions in China have yet to fully exploit the benefits of the robotic surgical system, according to experts.

Public figures show that there are 62 da Vinci robotic surgical systems across the country, with each being used for just 5.9 surgeries per week, a small amount considering the large number of operations carried out in a large hospital in China every day.

"The robotic surgical system is currently the most advanced surgical means in the world, which requires systematic training and strict accreditation to use," explained Zhang Congxin, president of Changhai Hospital. "In the past, hospital staff were often sent abroad to receive training, and the time and cost involved have to an extent prevented the rapid application of such technology."

Gao Xu, a doctor in the urological department of Changhai Hospital, echoed this sentiment.

"The robotic surgical system is a milestone in the history of surgical methods. It significantly improves the controllability of an operation. But using the surgical robot system is just like driving a car. Even after getting the license, you'll still need to have sufficient practice before you can perform a successful surgery," said Gao, who has completed more than 500 exztraperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy cases using such systems.

Industry experts pointed out that the international training center can help lessen the economic burdens of local medical institutions as they now can send their staff to a domestic location for training.

According to the hospital, the training process has three segments. An online test measures trainees' theoretical knowledge while simulations allow participants to practice skills such as using the robots to sew. In the final stage which attempts to mimic real world procedures, the trainees would utilize the system to operate on animals.

Zhang Han contributed to this story.

wanghongyi@chinadaily.com.cn