Robots help nearly 600 Surrey hospital patients

Robots Surrey Hospital
The robots are predominantly used for cancer surgeries. Credit: Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Around 600 patients with cancer and other serious conditions benefited from state-of-the-art robotic surgery at Royal Surrey Hospital last year.

The robots are mainly used for cancer surgeries and prostate, bladder and gynae-oncology procedures. They enable surgeons who specialise in different cancers to start undertaking robotic procedures.

The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust performed an average of 600 robotic surgeries last year - one of the highest numbers in the UK.

Doctors urge anyone with potential cancer symptoms to continue to speak to their doctor during the pandemic. Credit: Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Benefits for patients can include reduced trauma to the operating site, thanks to the miniature instruments of the robots, fewer complications, less blood loss and faster recovery times.

Mr Matthew Perry, Clinical Director of Urology, said:

"The new robots are a great addition to the Trust and will facilitate faster recovery times for our surgical and cancer patients. The robots allow us to have a better view of the surgery, thanks to their high definition, three-dimensional cameras and have many benefits for patients and staff.

We always get asked whether the robots are performing the surgery solo, but they are used in conjunction with a human surgeon who will operate them.

We have seen lengths of stay halved after a robotic surgery, compared to traditional surgery – for example after a bladder cancer operation, a patient might expect to stay in hospital for two weeks, but using robotic surgery this is more likely to mean a stay of five days."