Across the pond, QEQM Hospital in East Kent, England has taken a gigantic step into the future of surgical technology. They just recently finished their very first robotic procedures. On a Thursday, 68-year-old Mandy Lee became the second patient to undergo a robotic procedure at the hospital, following Stanley Russell, the first patient, who had the surgery earlier.
Mandy Lee, who was later diagnosed with bowel cancer, had a section of her bowel removed during the surgery. While she’s a little worried about undergoing robotic surgery at first, her health comes first.
“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 operation was led by Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon Sudhaker Mangam. He then highlighted the impact advanced robotic surgery has on patients throughout the region.
“This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” – Sudhaker Mangam
The robotic system used in Lee’s surgery includes four arms, remotely controlled by the surgeon. This cutting-edge technology offers a 3D perspective from within the patient’s body, greatly improving precision and effectiveness during surgery. Lee was comforted by the knowledge that the robot had been successfully used in other European hospitals before her operation.
Lee had very positive experiences with feeling prepared by the medical team to avoid surprises related to the procedure. She has since learned that the robotic approach would cause her less pain than conventional invasive surgery.
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, added Stanley Russell, the first patient to experience this technology at QEQM.
Following her Thursday surgery, Lee made a quick recovery and went home on Sunday. She called to say she was feeling better each day since the procedure, an early sign that she was responding to the brand new surgical technique.
The introduction of robotic surgeries at QEQM Hospital represents a notable advancement in medical procedures available to patients in East Kent. An increasing number of patients are choosing this advanced surgery. In doing so we aim to see profound shifts in overall outcomes and post-recovery experiences within the affected community.