QEQM Hospital in East Kent is implementing a cutting-edge model of care for cancer patients. It has recently become one of the very first facilities in the world to use robotic surgery for bowel cancer patients. London’s NHS has pioneered a novel procedure this year that could change that. This pioneering technique not only allows surgeons to operate with incredible precision, but facilitates a faster recovery for patients.
One such patient Mandy Lee, diagnosed with bowel cancer, became the first to have this advanced robotic surgery at QEQM. Screenshot from KRON4 The equipment the surgeon, Sudhaker Mangam, used during the operation was a cutting-edge robot with four arms that the surgeon controlled from a distance. This technology provided him with a stunning, 3D view inside Lee’s body. It let doctors precisely manipulate the system’s robotic arms and da Vinci-assisted surgery to successfully remove about 18 inches of her bowel.
“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,” said Lee regarding her decision to proceed with the robotic operation.
Sudhaker Mangam, who directed the procedure and has been hopeful about the promising advantages from this new surgical ability to offer. He stated, “This marks a major advancement in surgical capability for east Kent patients, enabling greater precision, improved outcomes, and faster recovery times.” Remarkably, after her surgery, Lee was discharged from the hospital only four days later. If you can, add to her healing vibes—she’s getting a little bit better each day!
Roy Charnley Stanley Russell, the second patient to have robotic surgery at QEQM, is a 68-year-old local resident from Herne Bay. Before his procedure, the medical team walked him through the entire robotic surgery process, making sure he fully understood what would happen. They were able to promise him that the procedure would be much less painful than invasive traditional surgery, something that Russell appreciated greatly.
What the team did well was in providing straightforward and practical examples. They promised that this would be less painful than having a more invasive surgery done, which made total sense to me. Russell commented after his consultation.
The introduction of robotic surgery at QEQM reflects advancements in medical technology and signifies a commitment to enhancing patient care in the region. Lee and Russell both won big on their first surgeries. They are agents of change on how this new approach can have a profound effect on the treatment and management of cancer.