The da Vinci Surgical System
As part of the new National Cancer Plan, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the goal to increase the number of robot-assisted procedures from 70,000 to half a million by 2035, reducing complications and freeing up hospital beds. In his speech, Streeting highlighted the da Vinci Surgical System as an important tool in helping to operate on and improve the treatment of cancer.
In 2022, York Against Cancer made a £680,000 donation to fund a brand new robotic surgical system at York Hospital, entitled the da Vinic Surgical System. This innovative technology allows for less invasive procedures then open surgery, and grants more precision in difficult to access areas than traditional key-hole surgery, leading to fewer complications.
The surgical robot is designed to translate the surgeon’s hand movements at the console in real time, moving like a human hand but with a greater range of motion and precision. Combined with a significantly magnified view, it makes difficult operations much easier and allows for an earlier return to function for the patient.
Praminthra Chitsabesan, Colorectal Surgeon at York and Scarborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The surgical robot is a brilliant surgical instrument and by investing in this advanced technology we will improve services across the board. It will permit us to provide more complex surgery minimally invasively, build up our services and help with recruitment, allowing us to catch up with other hospitals in the area that are already using this technology.
“It is the next step in the evolution of our services – and hopefully we will be on the way to developing a regional cancer unit of excellence and an advanced minimally invasive surgery unit. We know how valuable it will be for certain procedures, such as for low rectal cancers, and the great news is that patients needing complex surgery will be treated nearer to home.”
We hope the surgical robot will continue providing innovative solutions to cancer procedures for a long time to come.
