Thanks to the cooperation between the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Self-Government and the Ministry of Health, as well as the commitment of Prof. Wojciech Witkiewicz, director of the Regional Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, from 1 April 2022 surgical treatment of prostate cancer using the Da Vinci surgical robot will be reimbursed.
“Every year, we modernize Lower Silesia’s healthcare system. New hospitals, the best specialists, and modern equipment are available to all residents of our region. The Robotic Surgery Centre operating at the Regional Specialist Hospital on Kamieńskiego Street in Wrocław enables patients to receive treatment using the Da Vinci surgical robot,” says Marshal Cezary Przybylski. “After years of efforts, these operations will be reimbursed, which means they will become more accessible to patients.”
Wrocław was the first city in Poland where pioneering robotic operations were performed more than 10 years ago. It was then, thanks to the efforts of Prof. Wojciech Witkiewicz, that the Da Vinci surgical system was purchased. It is used in general surgery, oncology, urology, gynecology and otolaryngology.
“After 12 years of efforts and countless visits and meetings in various groups, by decision of the current Minister of Health, Polish patients have reimbursed access to the most advanced surgical technique at the current stage of medical development. Over 12 years, we gained experience, presented the best-documented indications for robotic treatment, and conducted a financial analysis showing a reduction in costs. Only a decision remained, and Minister Niedzielski made it,” says Prof. W. Witkiewicz. “I am pleased that we did not have to wait for a generational change. In the 1990s, when laparoscopic technology was being introduced, I kept hearing around me: ‘My friend, what kind of operation is that through a keyhole?’ Today, this technique is already available in every hospital.”
The Da Vinci surgical robot enables doctors to perform extremely precise operations characterized by their minimally invasive nature and the patient’s rapid postoperative recovery. Robotic technology allows doctors to perform operations using instruments whose dexterity exceeds the capabilities of human hands and to benefit from unparalleled exposure of the surgical field, with tenfold magnification and three-dimensional visualization.
Robotic surgery makes it possible to operate with extraordinary precision. The movement of the instruments is controlled electronically via a computer. This also enables the free movement of the hands to be precisely transferred from the control elements to tiny tips; the surgeon’s hand tremors and accidental movements are eliminated, while the instrument tips move extremely smoothly. The rotation of the robot’s surgical instruments imitates the surgeon’s wrist movement, which is not possible with an endoscope or laparoscope. All of this improves the comfort and safety of the operation.