Patients at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) in Kent have experienced a groundbreaking advancement in surgical care with the introduction of robotic-assisted procedures. This is closely on the heels of its introduction by the National Health Service in London earlier this year. It has already achieved a monumental success impressing the lives of patients facing difficult operations.
For patient Mandy Lee, whose robotic bowel cancer surgery was the first in a series of test operations – just like her operation, which took place on a Thursday. Lindsay with her mom, new dad, and big sister Remarkably, she was discharged only three days later, on Sunday, and is doing better every day now. The complete process included the resection of a good section of her intestine, and she told us how concerned she was the first time she had robotic surgery.
“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,” Lee stated. Her happy ending is emblematic of the difference that this cutting edge surgical procedure can make.
The second patient to receive the full benefit of this innovative procedure was 68-year-old Stanley Russell from Herne Bay. Prior to his surgery, Russell was given extensive information by the surgical staff regarding the robotic procedure and its benefits. They told him that this approach would result in a much less painful experience than the deep, penetrating open invasive surgeries.
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, Russell shared.
The robotic system used in these surgeries consists of four arms, which the surgeon controls from a remote console. This cutting-edge technology enables new levels of precision in the operating room, as surgeons benefit from a 3D hologram projected inside the patient’s body. Prior to its use at QEQM, this robotic approach had already demonstrated successful results in various medical centers across Europe.
Sudhaker Mangam, a core member of the surgical team at QEQM. Speaking on the heels of the announcement, he reiterated just how vital this move will be 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.”
The most advanced form of surgery has taken off successively in QEQM Hospital, and it is certainly an historic landmark for modern medicine. This new surgical technology allows patients to experience more extraordinary and less invasive surgeries. Lee and Russell’s experiences are helping to change a national conversation on the way these surgeries are performed. With enough support and goodwill, this exciting new approach could transform practices across the NHS and further afield.