Southmead Hospital has become a pioneer in the use of robotic arms for surgical procedures, marking a significant milestone in the NHS’s efforts to reduce waiting times. Consultant colorectal surgeon Caroline Burt is using this technology to pursue an innovative new scheme. She has set a target of advancing her company’s technology to support half a million robotic-assisted surgeries over the next 10 years.
The robotic arms, which Burt says are “an incredibly dextrous and accurate” set of robotic arms, help increase precision during surgery. These high-tech instruments enable her to sew together natives “a lot easier” during procedures, which increases the efficiency of procedures overall. Each arm is dialed in with precision for each operation, being able to cater to the exact needs of each patient.
The robotic arms covered in their plastic sheeting, which helps the system keep a sterile environment and is a common practice during surgeries. Two medical staff members accompany the patient and the robotic system throughout each procedure, underscoring the collaborative nature of this advanced surgical approach.
Burt emphasized the importance of human oversight in these operations, stating, “It’s 100% the surgeon doing the operation. Nothing moves without the main surgeon moving and dissecting, so there’s no automatic movements in it at all.” This reassurance serves to underscore that despite the improved capabilities afforded by robotic technology, the expertise of the surgeon still reigns supreme.
In fact, the NHS plans to use these robotic arms for all sorts of major surgical procedures, from hysterectomies to bladder surgeries. This technological advancement increases the volume of procedures that are done. This leads to better patient outcomes, faster recovery times and decreased length of hospital stay. As Sir Jim Mackey noted, “Not only does it speed up the number of procedures the NHS can do, but it means better outcomes, a faster recovery and shorter hospital stays for patients.”
Local patient Lisa Brittain recently underwent surgery with the help of these robotic arms. Just before her surgery, she became enamored with pictures of R2-D2 from Star Wars. That futuristic technology signified comfort to her, calming her fears as it would be an indispensable part of her treatment.
Caroline Burt described the robotic arms as “incredibly dextrous huge part” in the challenge to shorten waiting times by 2029. Hospitals such as Southmead are pioneering ground-breaking patient treatment and with a rapidly advancing field of robotic surgery, this is just the beginning. This groundbreaking initiative is dramatically cutting surgical wait times.