Mandy Lee, a 68-year-old patient, recently drew international headlines after her groundbreaking robotic surgery. This new surgical technique was performed at Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM), Kent. Lee, meanwhile, was being told that he had bowel cancer. He was the second patient to undergo this state-of-the-art hemiarthroplasty procedure, which offers greater precision and faster recovery times. The first human to benefit from the new robotic surgery was 72-year-old Stanley Russell.
On Thursday, Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon Sudhaker Mangam performed the relatively new and simple operation to remove part of Lee’s bowel. It was a pivotal point in her care. The surgery was performed with a new generation robotic system with four arms, remotely controlled by Mangam. This cutting-edge technology provides surgeons with a three-dimensional view of the inside of the patient’s body, allowing for more precise surgical work on complex procedures.
Lee was apprehensive about robotic surgery at first, but put her health before her fears.
“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
The surgical team reassured Lee that the robotic system had been successfully used in other European countries before its introduction in the UK. The NHS originally used this state-of-the-art surgical robot for the first time in London earlier in 2023.
Immediately after her procedure, Lee said she felt healthier by the day. She was released from the hospital this past Sunday, just days after her procedure.
Mangam raised the importance of this upgrade to East Kent patients.
“This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” – Sudhaker Mangam
Lee discovered that the robotic procedure was significantly less painful compared to traditional open invasive surgery. This knowledge was critical in her decision to proceed with the treatment.
Stanley Russell, who had the first robotic procedure at QEQM, talked about his experience as well.
“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