With three operations down the morning of its first day, the new prostate biopsy machine for Griffith Base Hospital is already earning its keep.
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Almost 100 per cent of hospitals in the metropolitan areas have this transperineal biopsy machine, and yet it may be only found occasionally throughout rural areas like the MIA.
And considering rural areas see three times more prostate cancer diagnoses than the cities, it's a huge win for Griffith, Leeton, Hillston and Lake Cargelligo communities.
See a video of Urologist Steven Sowter explaining the machine below:
The hospital's Medical Services Director David Tulloch said it would have a tangible impact on infection rates as well as travel times for patients.
"We are very pleased to have this machine here," Dr Tulloch said.
"The whole purpose of healthcare is to have the services as close as we can to the patients." He explained while not new technology, the process has been greatly refined.
"Going through clean skin instead of the rectum like the other machine, this biopsy process will decrease the amount of infections biopsy's can cause," Dr Tulloch said.
Going through clean skin instead of the rectum like the other machine, this biopsy process will decrease the amount of infections biopsy's can cause.
- David Tulloch
Griffith's Prostate Cancer Support Group's coordinator Barry Maples said it was something badly needed in the MIA.
"Organising this hasn't been a five minute job... I am now so relieved it is here and already operational," Mr Maples said.
Urological surgeon Steven Sowter said the machine was operational for the first time on Monday, speaking to the group fresh out of surgery after completing the first biopsy.
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The Male Bag Foundation is responsible for funding $60,000 towards getting this machine, with the remaining $20,000 supplied by the hospital's auxiliary board.
At the time of the donation it was the largest sum the foundation had made, and the first of its kind made in NSW.
Riding their postie bikes through Griffith in October 2018, Male Bag Foundation chairman Robert Glover said he would absolutely love to see the money go to a regional area, like Griffith, affected by drought.