NHS Ayrshire and Arran has announced the expansion of its use of robotic assisted surgery, after recently completing its first such procedure.
The technology will now be used for some colorectal and urology surgeries.
Christopher Ray, consultant colorectal surgeon for NHS Ayrshire & Arran, said: “The introduction of this robot assisted surgery to NHS Ayrshire and Arran is the result of several years of ambitious planning and collaborative team work and is a landmark in surgical progress for the region.
“Complex and difficult operations in confined anatomical spaces can now be carried out with greater precision and better visualisation with a 3D camera. Our patients can expect to leave the hospital sooner and return to full activity more quickly than before.”
Some of the benefits of the technology the trust has highlighted include the less invasive nature of these surgeries, having fewer complications and faster recovery.
The trust has also said that the use of modern surgical technology could help to attract and retain further skilled surgical staff.
Eric George, one of the first patients to have this procedure at University Hospital Crosshouse, said: “I was told in July that my operation was being planned using robotics. My consultant, Mr Ray took the time to explain things in a way I could understand and answered all the questions my wife and I asked him.
“Thanks mainly to Mr Ray’s skill as a surgeon and also to the robotics, I recovered remarkably quickly from my major surgery and I was able to go home just four days later.”
The next phase of the expansion will be the installation of the Intuitive ‘Hub’, which is designed to support the training of other surgeons and operating theatre staff to use the tech.
During the next three years, the trust aims to have 300 patients per year undergoing robot assisted surgery in Ayrshire.
