Patients at the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital in east Kent are benefitting from a Healthcare Environment Transformation Programme. The facility recently began using a new, advanced robotic system to conduct surgeries. The team that performed the first procedures with the four-armed robot was spearheaded by Sudhaker Mangam, right. They had been treating patients diagnosed with bowel cancer and were getting remarkable results.
The inaugural patient, Mandy Lee, had a portion of her bowel surgically removed. Before the procedure, Lee had shared her early concerns about undergoing the procedure but decided to focus on her health first.
“It was a bit of a scary thought, I hadn’t even considered the possibility of robotic surgery, but I just wanted the cancer gone and I wasn’t put off.” – Mandy Lee
Mangam controlled the robotic arms remotely, allowing him a three-dimensional perspective into Lee’s body—weaving and dancing between arteries, veins and tissues during the surgery. This cutting-edge technique provides increased accuracy and flexibility, resulting in improved clinical results and patient care. The NHS rolled out the robotic system across London in 2023. Since then, it has led to measurable success in a number of hospitals all over Europe.
Given that it was a particularly busy morning, Stanley Russell, another Herne Bay patient, became the second person to receive a robotic procedure at QEQM. He went for his operation on a Thursday and by Saturday he was back at home. At 68 years old, Russell was heartened by the team’s detailed prayerful explanation of the procedure.
“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.” – Stanley Russell
This innovative approach to surgery has the double benefit of minimizing pain and allows for quicker recovery periods for patients. Mangam said this development is a huge step forward for people in east Kent.
“This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” – Sudhaker Mangam
By being the first to introduce these pathfinding robotic surgeries, QEQM Hospital is establishing itself at the cutting edge of medical innovation. Clearly, more patients are benefiting from this promising technology. The hospital’s goal is to improve the quality of surgical procedures and improve the quality of care provided to patients in the region.