Tygerberg Hospital has reached a groundbreaking milestone in South African medicine with the country’s first robotic donor nephrectomy. The procedure, performed by urologist Dr. Danelo du Plessis using the state-of-the-art Da Vinci Xi Robotic system, involved a mother donating a kidney to her daughter in a life-saving operation.
Dr. du Plessis, who lectures at Stellenbosch University and specialises in robotic kidney, bladder, and prostate surgery, described the moment as a major step forward for local healthcare.
“It is indeed amazing news,” he said.
“Somebody needed a kidney transplant because of kidney failure, and the best way to treat that is with a new kidney. In this case, a mother donated her kidney to her daughter. What makes this different is that we used a surgical robot to remove the kidney, which makes the operation more precise, less painful, and potentially safer.”
He added that the technology benefits both the recipient and the donor.
“For the person donating the kidney, it minimises the trauma of surgery, meaning they can return to work and normal life sooner.”
The Da Vinci Xi Robotic system, developed in the United States, has evolved over more than a decade into one of the most advanced surgical tools available.
“It has four arms and incredible vision,” Dr. du Plessis explained. “One arm provides 3D, ultra-HD vision, while the others carry instruments that can be swapped out as needed. The manoeuvrability at the tips is unlike anything we can achieve with the human hand. It’s absolutely amazing.”
This pioneering procedure not only marks a triumph for Tygerberg Hospital but also signals a new era of surgical innovation in South Africa.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
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