Adolescent patients in the Greater Toronto Area facing a complex kidney procedure now have access to robot-assisted surgery through a newly relaunched partnership between the Hospital for Sick Children and University Health Network.
The program, announced in a SickKids news release, focuses on pyeloplasty — a minimally invasive operation that unblocks one or both ureters so urine can drain properly to the bladder instead of pooling in the kidney, where it can cause damage.
The difference for patients is significant. Traditional laparoscopic pyeloplasty, performed with a camera-equipped tube, typically takes four to five hours. With the robot handling the removal of the narrowed section of ureter and the suturing afterward, the surgery takes two hours or less.
The robotic approach also gives the surgical team a more detailed three-dimensional view, and smaller incisions mean patients recover more quickly.
"This is a great step forward to provide improved care," Dr. Armando Lorenzo, head of SickKids' Division of Urology, said in the release. "It's a good combination of better patient care, using technology appropriately and taking advantage of our partnerships with the hospitals around us."
UHN is described as a leader in robotic surgery, with a track record of advancing minimally invasive techniques that improve precision and shorten recovery times.
"By combining advanced robotics with specialized paediatric care, we're expanding access to minimally invasive options for adolescents across Ontario and Canada," Dr. Sami Chadi, robotic surgery program lead at UHN's Sprott Department of Surgery, said in the release.
SickKids selects which patients are most likely to benefit from the robotic approach based on their age and other factors — an approach the hospital ties to its Precision Child Health movement, which emphasizes individualized care.
A team effort, not just a machine
Every surgeon working with the robot must complete special training, and the partnership has become a collaborative learning model. Dr. Michael Chua, SickKids urology program director and clinical lead on the relaunch, performs the procedure alongside urology senior fellows Dr. Julie Wong and Dr. Fabio Botelho and clinical staff from Toronto General Hospital. Patients receive their post-operative care at SickKids.
"The partnership isn't just a matter of having equipment. It's having a whole team that works together to use the robot effectively, from surgeons to nurses and anesthesiologists," Dr. Abhaya Kulkarni, SickKids' surgeon-in-chief, said in the release.
Chua said the relaunch reflects cross-institutional collaboration and sets the stage for continued innovation in robotic surgery, education and patient-centred care.
"We're proud to work alongside SickKids to advance innovation and deliver high-quality, patient-centred care for adolescents and their families," Alexandra Boasie, director of transformation and quality at UHN's Sprott Department of Surgery, said in the release.
The collaboration is also intended to lay the groundwork for a more integrated and sustainable model of paediatric robotic surgery in Ontario.
