Page 12 - San News Volume 1 2020

World leading instruments
San Director of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Professor Tristan Yan has had surgical instruments used worldwide for minimally invasive aortic surgery, named after him.
This follows a collaboration with world leading French surgical instrument manufacturer Delacroix-Chevalier.
Distributed in over 70 countries the instruments enable tactile control
and surgical precision allowing cardiothoracic surgeons to perform an aortic valve replacement or mitral valve repair via a 3cm access incision, the smallest ever possible.
“This so-called ‘Looking Down the Barrel’ approach provides excellent visualisation of the aortic valve. The incision is just big enough to fit in a new valve. This novel surgical approach has been adopted by many surgeons around the world” says Prof Yan.
“Thanks to Hospital supporters the San has recently upgraded the cardiothoracic operating theatre complex.
“This major development provides a world-class infrastructure to perform advanced minimally invasive and robotic cardiothoracic procedures. Together, we strive to achieve a more rapid and comfortable recovery for our patients undergoing heart and lung surgery.”
Yan minimally invasive surgical instrument
Professor Tristan Yan
Fire crisis volunteers
Steven Crago (4th from right) at Westleigh Rural Fire Brigade
San staffers and their families were amongst the community volunteers during the January fire crisis.
San Pharmacy Director Steven Crago joined Westleigh Rural Fire Brigade
6 months ago and says his recent theoretical and practical training was put to good use as he helped in fire- fighting, back burning and property protection with RFS strike teams at
the Gospers Mountain, Three Mile and Wingello and Bundanoon fire grounds.
“As a newcomer I had to quickly come to terms with the sounds, smoke, smells and dangers of the fire ground, especially falling trees” Steve recalls.
“I joined to give back to the community, but I have been humbled by the community’s generosity and appreciation of the work of the RFS.
It just makes you want to give even more.”
San Radiology medical secretary Debbie Staggs and her husband are now 10 year veteran volunteers of the Berowra Rural Fire Brigade.
“I have a Medium Rigid truck licence, so I drive the Cat 1 which is the big
12
fire truck, and the Cat 7 which is our smaller truck.
We were involved in putting out fires, backburns, hazard reduction and property protection.”
San Radiology’s Clinical Nurse Specialist Neil Mendonsa has been volunteering with St John’s Ambulance for over 7 years and reports that over the summer he was based at a camp at Yarrowitch in northern NSW.
“We did 24/7 call/response for the firefighters for 7 days and ran a general health type clinic during shift change hours treating minor burns, respiratory and smoke inhalation and eye issues.”
Other San staff and hospital administration support resulted in over $25,000 being donated to the Red Cross Fire Relief Fund.
Neil Mendonsa with St John’s Ambulance
Debbie Staggs
(far left above) with colleagues at a fire ground