The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) is about to embark on a very exciting project. Their vision is to turn Royal Stoke Hospital into the UK’s premier centre for robotic surgery. The intent of the cornerstone project is marrying high-tech innovation such as the new “Magic Leap” surgical system. Its purpose is to increase surgical precision and focus on better patient care.
Last month Royal Stoke hospital unveiled their new “Magic Leap” system. This cutting-edge technology gives surgeons access to highly detailed 3D images of a patient’s spine using virtual reality goggles. With this cutting-edge procedure, we are able to further the understanding of the complex surgical field. Finally, it improves and supports better outcomes for patients.
The UHNM hopes that this project will strengthen Royal Stoke’s reputation as a destination for excellence in robotic surgery. The home hospital has made huge strides allowing them to do this already, saving net 3,000 bed days annually. With the most recent expansion, they project being able to raise this number to at least 5,000 bed days per year.
Royal Stoke will be the first hospital in the UK to use this pioneering technology. This innovation gives surgeons the ability to sense tissue resistance in real time, while performing operations. This new progress will benefit more than 1,000 patients annually. That will be particularly true for complicated surgeries such as trauma and cardiac surgery.
The NHS has set lofty expectations for the use of robotic surgery. By 2035, they envision robotic assistants helping perform an estimated 500,000 surgeries annually in England alone. In the own fiscal year of 2023-24, nearly 70,000 operations have already taken advantage of this new cutting-edge approach. In addition, the NHS predicts that, in less than ten years, 90% of all major keyhole surgeries will use robotic systems.
Philip Varghese, a consultant colorectal surgeon at UHNM, expressed enthusiasm for the project:
“This expansion significantly strengthens our ability to deliver robotic surgery across a wider range of complex procedures.” – Philip Varghese, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM).
The initiative is part of a larger effort to advance the quality of surgical care across the entire region. Coates from the foundation overseeing funding for this project stated:
“Supporting projects that make a lasting difference to local communities remains a core focus of the foundation.” – Coates.
He added,
“This investment will allow more patients across the region to benefit from world-leading surgical care closer to home.” – Coates.