The brand-new dual console da Vinci Xi surgical system at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital will be used to deliver life-changing robotic-assisted surgery for a wide range of cancers including lung, oesophageal, stomach, bowel, liver, pancreas and kidney cancers.
Increasing the number of robotic-assisted surgeries forms a key part of the new National Cancer Plan, with patients benefiting from faster recovery times, reduced complications, fewer and less invasive incisions, better outcomes and shorter hospital stays.
The surgical robot, which is operated by the surgeon from a console with a precise, magnified view of the surgical site, can make miniaturised 360° movements that surpass what the human hand can do on its own. These intricate movements are made possible thanks to the surgical robot’s multi-arm wristed instruments, which allow for greater flexibility and high precision.
Game-changing technology
The new surgical robot will also support the increasing demand for minimally invasive general surgical procedures which require greater dexterity. This includes minimally invasive thoracic and colorectal procedures which require surgeons to perform delicate, highly accurate manoeuvres in complex, confined anatomical spaces. It will also act as a sibling to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s existing da Vinci surgical systems, housed at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, which are primarily used for operations on the bladder, prostate and womb.
Beth Crackles, Chief Executive at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said: “Our incredible supporters have now enabled two game-changing investments in robotic surgery. Offering minimally invasive procedures and faster recovery times, the new surgical robot will be situated at the Northern General Hospital – a sister to the surgical robot located at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, which was funded through a philanthropic gift to the charity in 2019. This is a tremendous boost for cancer patients locally, and we are truly grateful to the generosity of the people of Sheffield for making it possible.”
Kirsten Major, Chief Executive at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Sheffield was one of the first NHS Trusts in the country to pioneer da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery at the Hallamshire Hospital, so we are delighted we will have robotic surgery also available at the Northern General Hospital. The level of precision now offered by advanced robotic-assisted surgery improves surgical access and outcomes and reduces complications, with patients able to recover at home in a few days, or weeks. We are extremely grateful to Sheffield Hospitals Charity and their donors for this significant donation which will help save lives and impact positively on patients in Sheffield and beyond.”
The first procedures on the new surgical robot are scheduled to take place in April this year.
Sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk | Sheffield Hospitals Charity
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