A state-of-the-art robot is to be used to assist surgeons with awkward operations at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital.
The advanced machinery was delivered this week and will support complex procedures for patients with cancer.
What will it do?
The location of cancer in some patients can be difficult for a surgeon to safely access.
The robot will be operated by a surgeon so they can more easily get to these hard-to-reach areas.
It will allow intricate procedures such as tumour and organ removal to be carried out with more precision.
The robot will deliver robotically assisted minimally invasive surgery in surgical cancer specialty areas, including:
- Colorectal
- Upper Gastrointestinal
- Urology
- Gynaecology
- Ear, Nose and Throat surgery
It will also mean a reduction in hospital stays, pain, complications and blood loss, as well as quicker recovery.
Robot will ‘transform care’
NHS Tayside’s ENT Head and Neck Cancer lead, consultant Jai Manickavasagam, will be using the robot.
He says the benefits cannot be understated.
He said: “Robotic assisted surgery will bring significant benefits for many patients.
“Robotic surgery, particularly if it is carried out in the head and neck areas, will transform care for those patients requiring complex surgery as it is minimally invasive and, importantly, it enhances choices of treatment for patients with head and neck cancers.”
Over the coming months, speciality surgeons and their multidisciplinary theatre teams will complete a period of intensive training to learn how to use it.
The robotic surgery service will then go live later this year.
It was funded by the Scottish Government as part of the national strategic framework for robotic surgery across Scotland.