In a significant advancement for surgical procedures in east Kent, two patients recently underwent robotic surgery at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM). The inaugural patient 68-year-old Mandy Lee underwent surgery for bowel cancer with part of her bowel removed. Lee’s procedure was on a Thursday, and she was back home by Sunday, getting better every day.
The robotic surgery used at QEQM uses the da Vinci Xi surgical system, which is an advanced, four-armed robot that is controlled from a remote console by the surgeon. This cutting-edge technology gives surgeons greater precision when operating, offering the surgeon a three-dimensional, high-definition view inside a patient’s body. Consultant colorectal and general surgeon Sudhaker Mangam led Lee’s procedure, which was first introduced by the National Health Service (NHS) in London earlier this year.
Lee had some legitimate worries about the robotic approach at first, but decided to move forward.
“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
QEQM’s move surgical team was really thorough in explaining to Lee why the procedure was good for him. Most importantly, they shone a light on the ways this less invasive option resulted in less pain. Lee was comforted by the fact that this new complicated robotic system had proved successful in other areas of Europe.
After her surgery, Lee’s physical healing has been rapid and she is grateful for compassion shown to her by her medical team. “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,” said Stanley Russell, who became the second patient to receive robotic surgery at QEQM.
Surgeon Sudhaker Mangam asserted the need for such technology, given the needs of local patients.
“This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” – Sudhaker Mangam
QEQM’s trailblazing robotic surgery program is just one example of the community hospital’s commitment to harnessing the most advanced medical technologies. This move reflects a burgeoning movement across the NHS to make surgical care more readily available to patients across the entire health region. To date, several successful outcomes have been reported. Increasingly, patients should see the advancements from these efforts in the very near future.