The robotic system is a “master-slave” system, introduced around 2006 in the US, with army technology. The DaVinci Surgical company then sold the system across the world. At this time, surgeons performed both open and laparoscopic surgery, however this system is an advanced form of ‘key-hole’ or laparoscopic surgery, with numerous improvements. The surgeon sits in a ‘viewing console’, whilst the surgical assistant and nurses sit beside the patient cart where the robot is. The robot is “docked’ to the patient via “ports”. The surgeon (in his console) then ‘drives’ the robotic movements.

The surgeons’ view is 25 x magnified, allowing accurate viewing of critical tissue structures such as the peri-prostatic nerves. The laparoscopic camera is held perfectly still by the robot, without any tremor. The movements of the robotic instruments are beyond that able to be achieved by the human hand, and as such the dissection of anatomic structures, and preversation of critical tissues such as nerves, is superior to prior surgical techniques.

Dr Haddad was one of the first and possibly earliest Urologist to return to Sydney (2013) with a pure robotic cancer Fellowship, (Montreal Canada, McGill University).