Similarly, the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) in Kent has been a leader in surgical innovation. They did it—successfully implemented robotic-assisted surgery! This pioneering treatment is led by Consultant colorectal and general surgeon Sudhaker Mangam. It seeks to improve quality of care by increasing accuracy and focus, while maximizing non-invasiveness.
Sudhaker Mangam recently performed the first robotic surgery at QEQM. To demonstrate this, he successfully controlled a state-of-the-art four-armed robot thousands of miles away. This innovative technology creates a true 3D experience for surgeons as they look inside the patient’s body, providing a more realistic view of critical and complex procedures. The robotic technique was first rolled out by the National Health Service (NHS) in London back earlier this year.
The first two patients to receive this innovative procedure at QEQM were Mandy Lee and Stanley Russell. Lee, a 68-year-old woman diagnosed with bowel cancer, was scheduled to have part of her bowel removed on Thursday. By Sunday—just three days later—she was back home. Remarkably, she said she was getting better each day after the surgery.
During planning for the surgery, the surgical team took steps to make sure Lee understood everything about the procedure. They touted patient benefits like needing less pain relief when using robotic surgery compared to more invasive techniques. This assurance went a long way to make her comfortable with the operation’s benefits.
“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
Stanley Russell had the robotic procedure. He talked about being grateful for the information provided by the surgical staff. He seems highly confident that they made the right decision in moving forward with the smart new technique.
“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
CEO, Sudhaker Mangam explained the significance of this development for patients across East Kent. He said the advent of robotic surgery represents a significant advancement in surgical technology for the area.
“This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” – Sudhaker Mangam
The successful surgeries at QEQM represent a promising development in medical technology, offering hope for enhanced treatment options for patients facing similar health challenges in the future.