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Doctors at SurGal Clinic, a private hospital in Brno, will be the first in the Czech Republic to use the Versius robotic surgical system from the British company Cambridge Medical Robotics (CMR). Versius is a new-generation medical technology used for robotically navigated minimally invasive operations in abdominal and thoracic surgery, urology, as well as colon surgery and gynaecology.

“I am pleased that SurGal Clinic is the first hospital in the Czech Republic to introduce the innovative Versius surgical system into clinical practice. With regard to the composition of care provided at our facility, we will use the surgical robot mainly in the field of colorectal and thoracic surgery, including onco-surgery. We are also prepared to use the system for other surgical procedures where we feel there will be a benefit to the patient – such as large abdominal defects, diastasis and hernias. We are officially launching the system into clinical use on January 1, 2024, at no cost to the patient.” says Jitka Smrčka, director of SurGal Clinic.

“Over the last month and a half, three surgical teams have undergone intensive training. Each group of surgeons and OR nurses has undergone a comprehensive training process at CMR’s training centre and at SurGal Clinic’s own premises. The first fifteen robotic procedures were performed at our facility under the guidance of foreign proctors with great success. The system goes beyond the capabilities of the human hand and will allow us to perform existing procedures more precisely while minimizing blood loss. We were very pleasantly surprised by the functionality and modularity of the system.” adds Petr Diviš, Medical Director and Head of the SurGal Clinic Robotic Surgery Centre.

The use of robotic surgical systems has many advantages for both doctors and patients. They help surgeons during procedures with better visualization, higher precision and filtering of hand tremors. Another indisputable advantage is the greater flexibility of robotic surgical tools, which allows doctors to work more easily and precisely in confined spaces such as a small pelvis or chest cavity. For patients, the major benefits of minimally invasive surgery include smaller post-operative wounds, less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery and reduced risk of infection.

“As the data shows, robotics is clearly a global trend in surgery, especially in developed Western countries. The Versius system is currently the second most clinically used system and more than 16,000 surgeries have been performed on it in 20 countries. I am glad that we could introduce it to the domestic market in 2023 and bring the Czech population closer to medical care using the most advanced technologies of today. The introduction of the new technology also includes long-term support from the supplier PROMEDICA PRAHA GROUP directly for SurGal Clinic to ensure a smooth and safe start of operations,” says Pavel Hanuš, CEO of PROMEDICA PRAHA GROUP.

The practical main advantage of the Versius system is its mobility and modularity. It fits into most common operating theatres and requires virtually no structural modifications. Its mobility also allows it to be shared between several different operating theatres. An additional advantage is provided by the system’s open elevation console with 3D display capability, which allows the trained operator to have the robotic arms under direct supervision and to communicate verbally and non-verbally with his colleagues in real time.

The concept of separate tooling and visualization arms provides freedom in port placement according to the operator’s requirements, including the ability to introduce a port from a lower angle. The need for complex system redocking when changing the operating field is eliminated. The end portions of the arms are equipped with advanced V-Wrist technology, which allows rotation of the operating instrument in the range of 720°, far exceeding the movement capabilities of the human hand. This makes it possible to operate even at extreme angles. All arms are equipped with pressure sensors to ensure maximum patient safety.

“The SurGal Clinic’s goal is to introduce new methods and continuously modernise its approaches. The acquisition of an innovative surgical robotic system is further clear evidence that the stated goals are being met.” Jitka Smrčka, Director of SurGal Clinic, concludes.

At Promedica, we are extremely proud of the innovative solutions that we are constantly bringing to the Czech healthcare system.

Watch the report below (CZ).

 

 

On 14 November we celebrate World Diabetes Day, which is also the birth date of the discoverer of insulin and Nobel Prize winner in medicine, Frederick Banting MD. And to mark the occasion, representatives from the Division of Diabetes are actively involved in several events and meetings during the month of November.

 

On 10 November, we actively participated in a prevention event called CUKROVKA CO DÁL in the Nový Smíchov shopping centre in Prague, where we cooperated with Novo Nordisk. During this event, the glycaemia of more than four hundred visitors was measured and several new cases of diabetes were identified. We equipped them with glucose meters, provided education on self-monitoring of glycaemia and recommended an early visit to a GP. They were attended to on site by Quoc Dat Do, MD, a diabetes nurse and a nutritional therapist from the Diabetology Centre at the VFN. Interested participants also had their eye background scans and other risk factors were measured, mainly increasing cardiovascular risks. The challenge at the entrance was the slogan “Don’t let diabetes break your heart”.

Ascensia, the company whose glucose measurement system we supply, also held a traditional teleconference for nurses, to which we invited our collaborating nurses. On 9 November, a roundtable meeting with a webinar was organised in Jindřichův Hradec.

In parallel, we attended an educational event for health professionals at the POKLAD cultural centre in Ostrava Poruba, where the 10th annual conference Multidisciplinary approach in the care of diabetic feet (not only) took place. The conference featured 15 speakers and 19 presentations, mainly focused on the care of patients with diabetes. The event was held under the auspices of prominent representatives of the Ostrava medical community. MUDr. Rastislav Maďar, PhD., MBA, FRCPS, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ostrava; prof. MUDr. Jan Václavík, Ph.D., FESC, Head of the Internal Medicine Clinic of the Ostrava University Hospital) and the conference was traditionally sponsored by MUDr. Miroslav Koliba, Ph.D., MBA, MHA, LL.M., President of the Czech Podiatric Society. Our society is a traditional participant of this conference, where diabetologists from IKEM and Motol Hospital in Prague, as well as from Zlín and Ostrava presented their findings. In addition, orthopaedists, surgeons and other specialists who deal with the treatment and diagnosis of diabetic foot syndrome in their practice. In most of the lectures it resonated again that the most effective prevention of diabetic foot is regular reliable self-monitoring of glycaemia and functional therapy based on the results of self-monitoring.

The following day we attended the conference in Chotěbor at the invitation of MUDr. Mgr. Sylvia Špitálnikova, Ph.D., the preventive event March against Diabetes, where we presented a lecture on self-monitoring of glycemia, technically ensured the measurement of glycemia and educated interested participants.

The culmination of our activities was the participation in the XXIV. Šimurda Days of Diabetics in Luhačovice. Promedica has been a proud partner of this largest patient event for several years. The traditional meeting was attended by about 200 patients with type 1 diabetes. As it was found by the survey, our glucometers are very popular with insulin pump users for control calibrations of continuous monitoring systems and also with those who refuse sensors for some reason for the time being.

Finally, on Wednesday and Thursday 22-23 November we participated with lectures and workshops in the model convalescent stay of the Association of Diabetics of the Czech Republic and the Alliance of Patients with Diabetes of the Czech Republic in the MAS Hotel in Sezimovo Ústí. More than 70 participants, especially organizers of the convalescent stays, got acquainted with the Contour system, which will be used to ensure mandatory measurement of glycaemia at most convalescent stays. The Association of Diabetics organizes more than fifty of these annually with a total participation of over 1,550 diabetics.

 

We are pproud to be able to contribute to better glycaemic control and care for diabetics. Our priority remains the promotion of prevention and education in the field of diabetes, which we have again confirmed at lectures and workshops focused on this topic. We look forward to further opportunities to contribute to improving diabetes care.

 

Diabetology division

As every year, the national conference of Czech urologists took place on 11-13 October, this time with the serial number 69. After 1993, 2006 and 2016, it is the fourth meeting held in this place. It is incomparable how the conference has grown, improved and professionalized compared to 1993. On behalf of the Czech Urological Society, the conference was accompanied by a rich professional programme and an interesting social programme.

On behalf of the Division of Interventional Urology and Venous Therapy, we introduced a new supplier Bedal, which brings to the market a new line of fixation for Picc, Midline, CVC, as well as innovative solutions for fixation of nephrostomies and other urological catheters, all without sutures. We also introduced physicians to the laparoscopic/robotic suction-drain Elefant from supplier Coloplast, which is now an integral part of most surgical procedures.

On behalf of the Medical Technology Division, the broad portfolio of our division was presented. Congress participants had the opportunity to see and test the CMR Versius surgical robotic system, including VR simulator training, a virtual simulator that is now part of the staff education process, as well as the FUJIFILM Arietta 65 IntuitiveFusion ultrasound portfolio for prostate fusion.

On behalf of the PPG team, we look forward to the next edition, with the serial number 70, in Brno.

Interventional Urology and Venous Therapy division

Medical technologies division

 

We would like to inform you about the first ever sale of the new generation CMR Versius robotic operating system in the Czech Republic.

We are honored that our first workplace with this system is SurGal Clinic s.r.o. in Brno.

Versius enables precise control of the movements of surgical instruments during robotically guided procedures and will be used at Surgal for thoracic, abdominal and colorectal surgical procedures.

Currently, the surgical teams are undergoing our educational training process and the first surgical procedures are being performed under the expert guidance of preceptors.

We believe that this system will be of great benefit to the staff, the efficiency of the procedures themselves and the health of the patients.

 

We would like to thank all those involved in this first implementation.

Medical technologies division

 

The XXIXth edition of CSARIM took place on 5-7 October 2023. It is the largest congress so far in this spirit. The congress of the Czech Society of Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine was successful for a large number of participants from both medical and non-medical professions. The congress was attended by 512 physicians and 346 non-medical staff. Similarly, a large number of exhibitors also presented at this congress.

Our stand was in a strategic location and we enjoyed a really large attendance of professionals from the Czech Republic and Moravia and also, for example, staff from the SZM department. Promedica enriched the congress with the participation of the divisions of Interventional Urology and Venous Therapy and the division of Intensive Care Medicine.

The IUVT division presented the portfolio of the new supplier Bedal – unique catheter fixation for both CVC, picc and midline. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the catheter is no longer sutured and the Bedal solution offers a three-point fixation that will be especially appreciated by the patient and the attending medical staff. The next presentation was the portfolio of Plan1Health and Angiodynamics, who offer a portfolio of midline, picc and ports.

The IM division mainly presented Sinapi chest suction, Microcuff cannulae and VR T-adapter. They took away new enquiries and customers from their meetings.

We consider this congress to be one of the most important ones and we are looking forward to the next XXX anniversary edition, which will be hosted by the city of Brno. We are also very pleased with the kind treatment and thanks for participation from the chairman of the committee, Prof. Vladimír Černý, M.D., Ph.D., FCCM, FESAIC.

Interventional Urology and Venous Therapy division

Intensive care medicine division

On 14 – 15 September 2023, we participated as one of the exhibitors in the two-day conference 3rd Ústí Surgical Days, which took place in the campus of the University of J.E. Purkyně , Ústí nad Labem. It was a conference where the expert guarantor was the head of the surgical department of the Regional Healthcare a.s. – Masaryk Hospital in Ústí nad Labem, prim. MUDr. Martin Sauer.

This educational event was intended not only for specialist doctors and physicians, but also for other medical personnel.

The conference was organized into several professional blocks, which were focused specifically on individual areas of surgery such as herniology, rectal surgery, vascular surgery, mammology, stoma. The education also included lectures in robotic surgery and laparoscopy including new developments for this category.

The organiser was the Surgical Department of the Regional Healthcare Institution – Masaryk Hospital in Ústí nad Labem.

We are very pleased that we could participate in this event and in the future be an equal partner in this area of healthcare.

Division Surgical Programme

On 7 – 8 September 2023, the 30th anniversary year of the professional conference Slámovy ENT Days took place. The event was organized by Karel Sláma, M.D., Ph.D., Head of the Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Life Sciences in Ústí nad Labem and Regional Health, a.s. – Masaryk Hospital in Ústí nad Labem.

The conference was held in the historical Větruše Chateau in Ústí nad Labem. The program was focused on otology, the main topic of the 30th edition was vestibular schwannoma and tympanotomy with exoscope. The programme also included a live broadcast of ear surgeries performed by MUDr. Jiří Skřivan CSc. and expert commentary by Doc. MUDr. Jan Bouček, Ph.D. from the ENT Clinic of Motol University Hospital.

At the stand we presented the Smith+Nephew plasma coblation and otological robotic operating system Robotol.

ENT division and Medical Technologies

On 8 September 2023, we participated as a general partner in the one-day conference Liver Elastography 2023, which took place at the O2 Universum conference centre in Prague. It was the 3rd conference on ultrasound elastography of the liver and non-invasive diagnosis of liver diseases.

Ultrasound elastography of the liver has fundamentally changed clinical practice and is now a routine examination. Multiparametric ultrasound of the liver then represents a new concept of a complete non-invasive diagnosis, which allows a diagnosis to be made in a single examination.

Given the prevalence of FUJIFILM/HITACHI ultrasound in most departments dealing with this issue, we have chosen a general partnership. A number of doctors who already use our ultrasounds as well as new potential customers stopped by the booth.

The organiser was the Department of Hepatogastroenterology, IKEM

We are very pleased to have been able to participate in this event.

Division of Medical Technologies

From 31 May to 2 June 2023, the 84th Congress of the Czech Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery ČLS JEP took place. The Czech National Otorhinolaryngology Congress returned to the metropolis of South Bohemia after 25 years. The venue of the congress was the Congress Hotel Clarion in České Budějovice. The organizer of the congress was Lubor Mrzena, M.D., Ph.D. from the ENT Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital České Budějovice, a.s.

The main topics of this year’s congress were rhinology and laryngology. Traditionally, there was also a rich section of free communications, panels of poster presentations and a professional programme of non-medical health professionals. A rich social and accompanying programme with an evening surprise in the form of fireworks, which took place in the Castle Riding Hall in Český Krumlov, certainly contributed to the festive character of the congress.

At our stand, we presented the entire portfolio of the ENT division, including Smith & Nephew devices, plasma coblation devices, examination units, chairs and EUROCLINIC diagnostic devices for ENT departments. We met with ENT specialists from both the Czech Republic and abroad and we are pleased that our cooperation with customers is positively perceived.

Division of Otorhinolaryngology

photo © GUARANT

Dear business partners,

We would like to inform you that from 1 July 2023 Promedica will become the exclusive distributor of Asanus operating tools.

We believe that this cooperation will allow us to strengthen our position in the market for operating tools and ensure that your facility receives quality service thanks to the approach of our sales teams.

However, this is not the only change and expansion of our portfolio. We have also successfully taken over the portfolio of MEDISPINE s.r.o. for the Czech and Slovak markets.

Therefore, we continue to deliver quality service to all our business partners.

Promedica