A major step forward in cancer care in Sheffield and beyond has been marked with the official unveiling of a new cutting-edge surgical robot and technology at the Northern General Hospital.
The technology will allow surgeons to operate more precisely on a range of cancers, including lung, oesophageal, stomach, bowel, liver, pancreas and kidney.
The arrival of the new dual console da Vinci Xi surgical system was made possible thanks to a generous £1.45m donation from Sheffield Hospitals Charity, the largest single donation ever made to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals from the charity.
Surgeons, nurses, theatre operating staff, anaesthetists, theatre operating staff, planning and estates teams joined together with Sheffield Hospitals Charity in the newly renovated theatre within the hospital’s main theatres complex. To mark the occasion, the surgical robot was used by Mr Nehal Sureshkumar Shah to cut its own ribbon.
The advanced surgical system lets surgeons work in hard-to-reach areas using robotic-assisted arms with flexible, tiny wristed instruments and better visualisation via a high-definition 3D view. This magnifies the surgical area being worked on 10 times to what the human eye sees alone – or the equivalent of magnifying a 2p coin to the size of a dinner plate.
This will help provide better outcomes for hundreds of cancer patients in Sheffield and beyond, offering fewer and less invasive incisions, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery and a return to normal life sooner.
Beth Crackles, Chief Executive at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said: “Sheffield Hospitals Charity is proud to have contributed £1.45 million to bring this robot to the Northern General Hospital. It is the largest single donation we have ever made and one that reflects our confidence in the life‑changing impact this technology will have for patients and the NHS.
“Made possible by the generosity of thousands of supporters, this robot is a gamechanger for those undergoing cancer surgery in Sheffield. Moreover, it will enable more people to access minimally invasive surgery closer to home, helping patients recover faster, and return to everyday life sooner.
“It is a powerful example of what can be achieved when a community comes together to support its NHS.”
Kirsten Major, Chief Executive for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We were an early pioneer of robotic-assisted surgery in the UK, with the first procedures for bladder cancer patients performed at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in 2013. So, it’s fantastic to now have the new da Vinci Xi robot at the Northern General Hospital thanks to the incredible generosity of Sheffield Hospitals Charity and their supporters. Expanding access to robotic-assisted surgery is one of the key ambitions of the NHS Ten Year Plan, so the introduction of this newest robot and surgical system represents another significant step forward in advancing patient care for those in Sheffield and beyond. It also reaffirms our commitment to innovation.”
To find out more about how the robot will help, or to watch the unveil itself, visit the website here.