Patients in Buckinghamshire have been operated on by robots at Stoke Mandeville Hospital for the first time this October.
Surgeons at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust have started using the cutting-edge Da Vinci Xi robot to assist Urology and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, improving outcomes and shortening recovery times for patients.
The robot, which features multiple arms and a high-quality camera, is controlled by the surgeon via a console.
It has a wide range of movements, is based on a stable platform and can even bend its instruments. This means that surgeries are performed with greater precision, causing even less tissue damage than keyhole surgery. This in turn can mean less pain and shorter hospital stays for patients.
Mr Rob Gray, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust said: “Imagine giving a surgeon an extra set of very stable, very dexterous hands.
“In a nutshell, this is what the robot does. Currently surgical robots are mostly limited to large teaching hospitals and private hospitals in central London, so we are thrilled to be able to offer this world-class surgery for our patients right on their doorstep in Buckinghamshire.”
All surgeons at the Trust are currently being trained to use the Da Vinci Xi robot. Training is also underway for Colorectal and Gyanecology Cancer Surgery to start robotic surgeries in November 2022.