Roles reversed as ICU nurse Elio becomes a patient and undergoes revolutionary robotic heart surgery on RPA

EXCLUSIVE: Having worked as a cardiothoracic ICU nurse for 15 years, Elio is more than familiar with hospitals.

But roles were reversed as the 38-year-old prepared to undergo heart surgery himself in the very hospital he works in.

In a recent episode of RPA, the father of two revealed he's been living with mild mitral valve regurgitation for over a decade.

Elio's condition worsened in the last two years, and it was enough to warrant important surgical intervention.

Stream the last episodes of RPA on 9Now.

Speaking to 9Entertainment, Elio admitted he was "initially reluctant" to undergo surgery at Royal Prince Alfred hospital where he works.

"I thought it would be awkward seeing all the people I work with and feeling so vulnerable," he said.

But it was a thought that quickly passed when it dawned on him that RPA offers revolutionary robotically assisted minimally invasive surgery.

You can meet ICU nurse Elio in the video above.

"My initial fears went away quickly. I know the quality of the people that I work with. I knew I would be in great hands," Elio said.

Elio's condition in layman's terms meant that he had a leaky heart valve. It required delicate surgery that literally tugs on his heart-strings to correct.

Elio placed his trust in colleague and friend of 10 years Dr. Tristan Yan.

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RPA is one of the only public hospitals in Australia with a da Vinci Xi surgical robot.

Speaking to 9Entertainment, Dr. Yan explained the significance of the robotic surgery he performed on Elio.

"Public or private, we are the highest volume surgical team performing robotic cardiac surgery in New South Wales," he explained.

Dr. Yan explained that the robotic surgery is different to conventional heart surgery in that it is not an open chest operation.

Instead robotic devices, miniature cameras, and precision instruments are used to access the heart through a much smaller keyhole sized incision without cutting through the breastbone.

"It means that the recovery for patients is easier, faster, less bleeding and with less pain," Dr. Yan added.

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Elio's surgery was a success and his recovery was impressive to say the least.

Within two days Elio had been discharged from hospital to go home. That is almost unheard of normally.

"The week following the operation I was taking my son to school, walking to school... I was even doing some gardening," Elio detailed.

Dr. Yan and Elio both laughed as they recalled a follow-up appointment five weeks after Elio's surgery.

"We were in the review and he asked me what tasks I could do and I told him I could do push-ups," Elio explained.

"[Dr. Yan] said, 'Show me'. So I did."

"He was doing push-ups in my room and I remember thinking, 'Oh wow'," Dr. Yan added.

"That would be strictly prohibited for patients undergoing open chest surgery.

"You're not allowed to carry anything heavier than five kilos in the first two months, so the benefits of the robotic surgery in recovery are really clear."

While Elio was extremely grateful for Dr. Yan's work he also acknowledged the work of his nursing friends.

"They were outstanding, always professional and provided so much empathy and care," he said.

"Of course the credit generally does go to the surgeons but it really does take a whole team.

"It really was like being in the hands of family."

You can see Elio's whole story by watching Episode 1 Elio's Broken Heart of RPA on 9Now.

Stream the last episodes of RPA on 9Now.

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