{"id":97425,"date":"2025-05-13T07:11:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T07:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/97425\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T07:11:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T07:11:11","slug":"inside-the-million-pound-machine-that-will-soon-be-performing-keyhole-surgery-on-brits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/97425\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the million-pound machine that will soon be performing keyhole surgery on Brits"},"content":{"rendered":"

IT is 10am, surgeon Jeffrey Ahmed has just finished his first operation of the day. His patient will go home to recover in her own bed within hours.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Surgeon<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Mr Ahmed says: \u2018This is the future. The benefits are so profound we can\u2019t not do it\u2019Credit: Jon Bond\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Surgeon Jeffrey Ahmed with The Sun\u2019s Sam Blanchard next to the surgical robotCredit: Jon Bond\"Da<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

The million-pound robot performs a hysterectomy in just 40 minutesCredit: intuitive.com<\/p>\n

Her hysterectomy, a major surgery, only took 40 minutes thanks to the million-pound robot used by Mr Ahmed and his team at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Done by hand, the same procedure would have taken two hours or more, involved an overnight stay on the ward and could have cost an extra \u00a32,000.<\/p>\n

Health Secretary Wes Streeting<\/a> has told Sun Health that robot- assisted surgery<\/a> is the \u201cfuture of the health service\u201d as our figures show its use is skyrocketing.<\/p>\n

Robotic assistance<\/a> was used in 70,000 procedures on the NHS<\/a> in England last year. <\/p>\n

That was double the 35,000 two years earlier in 2022, and a ten-fold increase on the 6,600 performed in 2014.<\/p>\n

The machines, which are operated by surgeons, are capable of increasingly complex and major operations. <\/p>\n

They benefit doctors, patients and the health service.<\/p>\n

An NHS report last week said the adoption of robots is now \u201cin the exponential phase\u201d, meaning it is rapidly increasing.<\/p>\n

Officials say it will soon take over the majority of keyhole surgeries \u2014 such as gallbladder or appendix removal \u2014 and an increasing number of orthopaedic operations.<\/p>\n

Mr Ahmed conducts the hysterectomy \u2014 the removal of the womb \u2014 from a console in the corner of the operating room, where he sits with his shoes off and dance music playing in the background.<\/p>\n

He uses hand controls as if he is playing on a Nintendo Wii<\/a> to manoeuvre the Da Vinci Xi Robotic Surgical System.<\/p>\n

Robot doctor that can perform surgery in space is destined for ISS<\/p>\n

Tiny mechanical forceps and scissors slice the womb free from the bladder a millimetre at a time, cauterising the flesh as they go to prevent internal bleeding.<\/p>\n

The robot\u2019s instruments are more compact than a surgeon\u2019s, so incisions are smaller, reducing infection risk, scarring and bleeding.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlood loss is way less now,\u201d Mr Ahmed tells Sun Health. \u201cIt\u2019s about 25ml, so the patients lose more from the blood tests beforehand than the operation itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

A thin camera shows the inside of the body, and Mr Ahmed, the anaesthetist and nurses who are standing close to the patient to keep her safe watch the procedure on TV screens.<\/p>\n

Mr Ahmed, 40, says: \u201cThis is the future and I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any way of going back. The benefits have been so profound that we can\u2019t not do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing about 1.5 times the amount of cases we were able to do with traditional keyhole surgery, and the patient outcomes are better, so our patients are staying in hospital for a shorter time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only does this mean people can recover at home and resume their daily life quicker \u2014 it also frees up vital beds in hospitals.<\/p>\n

And patients need less anaesthetic because the operation is shorter \u2014 another risk reduction.<\/p>\n

Mr Ahmen said: \u201cPreviously, their average length of stay was 1.8 days, but our patient will go home today after a cup of tea and a sandwich in the recovery room. We\u2019ve finished that case at 10 o\u2019clock in the morning and, across the UK, there are a lot of surgeons who still don\u2019t have their first patient on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first robot-assisted operation in the NHS was carried out in the year 2000. Now, there are more than 140 machines in use across the country.<\/p>\n

Health spending watchdog the National Institute For Health And Care Excellence last month gave the green light for hospitals to choose from 11 robotic systems.<\/p>\n

This signals top-ranking officials believe they are worth the money.
Robo ops first took off in men\u2019s urology, operating on prostates and the pelvis, and are now increasingly used in gynaecology<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Robotic<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

The robot performs surgery as medics watch on screensCredit: Jon Bond\"Surgeon<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

Surgeon Mr Ahmed manipulates the robot arms by remote controlCredit: Jon Bond\"Robotic<\/a><\/p>\n

6<\/p>\n

The robot arms can be viewed on the screenCredit: Jon Bond<\/p>\n

It is particularly beneficial here because unwanted damage or mistakes can have devastating effects on patients\u2019 lives, leaving them with sexual dysfunction, fertility issues or incontinence.<\/p>\n

Urological surgeon Ben Challacombe is the head of robotic surgery at Guy\u2019s and St Thomas\u2019 NHS trust in London.<\/p>\n

He operated on TV legend Stephen Fry\u2019s prostate cancer using a robot and has also treated film director Steve McQueen.<\/p>\n

He says: \u201cIn some hospitals, you\u2019ll get an experienced surgeon doing operations with a robot but in other hospitals, they won\u2019t even have the robot yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to democratise it because it\u2019s a postcode lottery. The NHS should negotiate to buy them at a national level to level up.\u201d<\/p>\n

New departments are getting the help of robots all the time. They are now capable of heart surgery<\/a>, mouth and throat operations, cancer treatment<\/a>, hernia repair and even hip and knee replacements.<\/p>\n

\u2018Postcode lottery\u2019<\/p>\n

Mr Challacombe says: \u201cThe next generation will be single port robots where everything can go through one incision and cause even fewer side effects.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the future I think we will be able to train robots to do parts of the tasks automatically.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a long way off being able to do an entire operation but we expect that sort of step up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orthopaedic surgeon Al-Amin Kassam is trialling robotic hip replacements at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.<\/p>\n

He uses a machine to create 3D scans before a robotic arm implants the new hip socket.<\/p>\n

The physical bone work is done manually by surgeons. Mr Kassam said: \u201cThe robot essentially works like a spirit level.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring a manual implant, we put the replacement cup where our eyesight tells us to, but human eyes have a margin of error. It also means you have to open up the area more, cutting through more muscle and tendon so you can see.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the robot, you don\u2019t need the full view, so where most surgeons would cut three tendons at the back of the hip, we only need to cut one. It should improve patient recovery and get them back to activity and to work earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n

The NHS also needs patients\u2019 co-operation before robotic surgery becomes standard. Many may still have visions of rogue Terminator-style cyborgs at the operating table.<\/p>\n

But this could not be further from the truth, and the machines are not yet automatic. They can make only tiny movements controlled by qualified expert surgeons.<\/p>\n

\n

Some patients are scared to begin with because they think the surgeon is going to be in the coffee room while it\u2019s happening<\/p>\n

Al-Amin Kassam<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mr Kassam says: \u201cSome patients are scared to begin with because they think the surgeon is going to be in the coffee room while it\u2019s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

One patient who has been under the robotic knife is Ella Lacson, a 27-year-old from London. She has had the same endometriosis operation twice \u2014 once with a robot and once without.<\/p>\n

Endometriosis<\/a> is a painful condition and causes the abnormal growth of womb tissue in other parts of the pelvis area. In severe cases, surgery is needed.<\/p>\n

Client accountant Ella says: \u201cIt felt like barbed wire in my pelvis and got so bad I couldn\u2019t go out with my friends or into the office.
Smash waiting lists<\/p>\n

\u201cI first had the surgery in 2012 which was really uncomfortable for a few weeks and I was off school for months. But after my second surgery with the robot in December 2024, the recovery was so quick.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went home the same day, managed the pain by myself for about two weeks and then I was back to normal. I\u2019ve started doing dance classes again, which I couldn\u2019t do before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t feel like there were any downsides. I\u2019d 100 per cent recommend it to someone in the same position as me.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are still some drawbacks, however, as machines typically cost upwards of \u00a31million to buy and may initially disrupt efficiency.<\/p>\n

Mr Challacombe says: \u201cI\u2019m very pro-robot but the downsides are the cost, and people get less efficient before they get more efficient.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the consultants are learning, the trainee surgeons can\u2019t learn from them. There is also some danger to operating a machine that is away from you, extending the time it takes to spot potential problems.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n

I\u2019m very pro-robot but the downsides are the cost, and people get less efficient before they get more efficient<\/p>\n

Ben Challacombe<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He says reaction times with a camera view may not be as instant as up-close manual surgery.<\/p>\n

But most procedures go smoothly and, once theatres are fully up and running, the benefits are clear.<\/p>\n

The ops are less physically taxing for surgeons, which could let them extend their careers, as many suffer back or shoulder problems.<\/p>\n

Their speed and ease of use mean the machines can be used for high-intensity sessions when surgeons ramp up procedures at the weekend to help slash waiting lists. England has millions of patients waiting for 7.4million procedures.<\/p>\n

Mr Ahmed\u2019s team in Fulham last year took part in a \u201csuper surgery weekend\u201d, when two departments at the hospital operated on 59 patients in two days. <\/p>\n

Professor Naeem Soomro, from the Royal College of Surgeons, said: \u201cRobot-assisted surgery is here to stay.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsed well and for the right patients, it has the potential to bring benefits including greater precision, fewer blood transfusions, increased patient satisfaction and a faster return to work and family.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo get the most out of these tools, it is essential to make sure that staff receive consistent, high-quality training to use them.\u201d<\/p>\n

David Marante, vice president of Intuitive UK & Ireland, makers of Da Vinci robots, said: \u201cInnovative initiatives are bringing down waiting lists and improving productivity, helping save bed days, optimise staffing and improve efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n

HEALTH CHIEF WES: THIS TECH SAVED MY LIFE TOO<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

HEALTH Secretary Wes Streeting is keen on robotic surgery after it saved his life.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI know from first-hand experience how technological advances in the health service can benefit patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, the NHS saved my life with an operation led by a world-class surgeon being helped by a robot.<\/p>\n

\u201cInnovation like robot-assisted surgery isn\u2019t science fiction, it\u2019s the future of the health service.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough our Plan for Change, we are taking the NHS into the digital age and arming it with the high-tech kit it needs to slash waiting lists and get patients treated on time again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"IT is 10am, surgeon Jeffrey Ahmed has just finished his first operation of the day. His patient will…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":97426,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[207,560,105,426,302,210,211,3061,460,6197,437,118,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-97425","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-cancer-disease","9":"tag-exclusives","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-health-warnings","12":"tag-heart-disease","13":"tag-mental-health-and-illness","14":"tag-nhs","15":"tag-nhs-crisis","16":"tag-operations-and-surgery","17":"tag-robots","18":"tag-section-healthnews-health","19":"tag-the-sun-newspaper","20":"tag-uk","21":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114499281574770686","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}