Surgical robot revolutionises cancer operations at York Hospital

YORK hospital has unveiled a surgical robot which is set to revolutionise cancer operations and recoveries in York.

Cancer surgeons at York Hospital can now perform precise, complex surgery on patients (as displayed in the video) through a few small incisions thanks to a new surgical robot.

Named the Da Vinci Surgical System, it allows for less invasive operations to be performed rather than open surgery, leading to quicker recoveries.

The Da Vinci Surgical system here to revolutionise operations Picture: Emily Horner

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Surgeons have already used this technology on 25 patients in the last three weeks and have found that patients have left hospital after day two post-op with no pain, instead of after day five.

This robot has been funded by local charity York Against Cancer (YAC), with a donation of £680,000 over the next two years.

Consultant urologist, Ben Blake-James said: “The main drive is to create quicker recoveries and improve quality of surgery to achieve more accurate and precise surgical outcomes.

“Where someone would’ve previously had an open operation, the conventional big cut down the tummy and have woken up with a big scar, this technology allows us to do more complex work and patient can now wake up with small incisions.

Display of the Da Vinci in use Picture: Emily Horner

Dr Blake-James, who has operated with this equipment himself, went on to explain that the technology ensured that the tiny arms stayed in place in the incisions made, and can bend and rotate while performing the procedure in a range of speed.

He said: “This technique allows for minimal trauma to the skin and muscle, which allows for less pain, and the risks diminish as people who recover quicker are less likely to develop infections and clots as they can move again more quickly.

“It does make operations easier – often with keyhole surgery you are sat in a peculiar position which is difficult to sustain for four to six hours, and towards the end of an operation you start getting sore – we are hoping the quality improves to allow surgeons to be more comfortable.”

Colorectal Surgeon Dr Chitsabesan, one of York's surgeons trained to use the Da Vinci Picture: Emily Horner

The hospital had approached YAC last year to co-fund the project, of they ‘unanimously said yes’.

Ian Yeowart, Chair of YAC said: “This is not a luxury, this is a necessity, it is what the future holds for surgeries.

“York is a moderate sized hospital, and this has moved us up with the bigger hospitals, keeping York in the ‘premier division’ rather than the ‘championship’ of hospitals.

“It is good for the patients and the surgeons, lessening the stress on the surgeons’ eyes and backs.

“Initially it was designed for prostate cancers but is used mainly for intra-abdominal cancers.

“I’m sure this will be first of a lot more to come.”