For 68-year-old Mandy Lee, she’s just undergone the most revolutionary robotic surgery to date. She underwent the surgery at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) in Margate. Diagnosed with bowel cancer, she became the third patient to benefit from this innovative procedure, which promises less invasive treatment and quicker recovery times.
The surgery team, led by Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon Sudhaker Mangam, carried out a successful operation. They carefully resected a section of the affected Lee’s bowel using a cutting-edge robotic surgical system. This robot, which has four arms, each controlled remotely by the surgeon, provides increased precision during the surgery. This innovative technology levels the playing field and provides surgeons an otherwise immeasurable advantage. In addition, it provides a three-dimensional view within the patient’s body that allows doctors to much more easily maneuver around complex anatomical structures.
Lee’s surgery was on a Thursday. She was given a lot of encouragement explaining that other robotic procedures done in Europe had excellent outcomes. “It was a bit of a scary thought. I hadn’t even considered the possibility of robotic surgery. I just wanted the cancer gone and I wasn’t put off,” Lee shared after her successful operation.
Her experience comes just a few weeks after Stanley Russell from Herne Bay. He became the second patient ever to have a procedure using the robot at QEQM. Russell listened as the medical staff articulated the purpose of the surgery clearly and succinctly. They outlined how this patient-centered focus would result in less pain than approaches focused on procedural primacy. “The team explained everything really well and said it would be less painful than going through more invasive surgery, so that made sense to me,” he remarked.
“In the wake of these successful surgeries, Sudhaker Mangam emphasized the significance of this advancement for patients in East Kent. ‘This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for East Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times,’ he stated.”
Lee was discharged home on Sunday after her surgery and has stated she has been feeling progressively better each day since. Her experience further demonstrates the phenomenal benefits of robotic-assisted surgery. This creative new model was first successfully pioneered by the NHS in London earlier this year.