Patients at the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) in East Kent are benefiting from a truly innovative step forward in surgery. The adoption of robotic surgery is revolutionizing the way they’re treated. Day 1 Surgery Two operations on Thursday, both successful. They utilized a minimally invasive, state-of-the-art robotic system that increases accuracy and improves recovery time.
Mandy Lee, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer, had 40cm of her bowel removed during the robotic procedure. The very next Sunday, just three days post-op, she went home. Although Lee was afraid to proceed with robotic surgery, Lee said she was motivated to beat cancer.
“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, a 68-year-old local man from Herne Bay, was the second patient to have the robotic procedure at QEQM. In the presentation, a member of the surgical team stressed the benefits of the robotic system. They promised him that it would be less painful 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.” – Stanley Russell
The robotic system used in such procedures consists of four arms, which are remotely controlled by the surgeon. This groundbreaking technology provides a fully immersive real-time 3D view of the patient’s body while in surgery. It helps surgeons to deliver more delicate procedures with more precision.
Sudhaker Mangam, Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon who performed both first on the latter procedures, said the importance of this new ability cannot be stressed. He said this development is a huge step forward for the surgical provision offered to patients across east Kent.
“This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” – Sudhaker Mangam
The rollout of robotic surgery at QEQM comes on the heels of its first implementation by the NHS in London earlier this year in 2023. As more hospitals adopt this technology, patients like Lee and Russell can look forward to more effective treatment options and a smoother recovery process.