A patient from Sussex has received the first robotic surgical procedure at the hospital run by the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH) in Redhill.
Christopher Lovett, 66, has praised the care he received at the East Surrey Hospital, said the trust.
Medics claimed patients in Crawley, Horsham, other parts of Sussex, and Surrey can now benefit from reduced recovery times, and less post-operative pain.
The surgical team at the Redhill hospital successfully removed Mr. Lovett's kidney in a procedure called a nephrectomy, using CMR Surgical’s next-generation surgical robotic system, Versius®.
He said:
“It’s absolutely phenomenal that my surgery used a robot!
"I feel very lucky to have had the treatment and if it wasn’t for SASH, I wouldn’t be here.
"The doctors, anaesthetist and nurses who looked after me have been fantastic.
"I love fishing and am looking forward to being more mobile and going fishing again soon.
"The post-operative and aftercare support has been great and I want to say thank you to the NHS.”
To perform the procedure, a surgeon uses the Versius console to control the robotic equipment, which holds and moves the surgical instruments.
The equipment mimics the movement of the surgeon’s arm, with fully-articulated wrists and 3D vision giving surgeons greater accuracy and dexterity.
Professor Abhay Rane OBE, consultant urological surgeon at SASH said:
“This represents a very positive milestone for the Trust and our patients.
"Versius’ clear 3D visualisation gives surgeons greater precision and control, thereby allowing for safer surgery with improved outcomes in the long run.
"It will be used in due course by all of our surgical specialties here at our Trust thereby benefiting a significant number of patients."
Mr James Henderson and Mr Shahid Khan, consultant urological surgeons at SASH said:
“Not only is this excellent news for patients like Mr Lovett, it is also fantastic for SASH as it means we can provide the latest training and development opportunities for surgeons of the future.”
SASH will begin training staff so that the equipment can be used in various procedures in different specialties, including complex cancer cases.
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