Published on 31 May 2023
A new £2m robot is allowing more people to be treated for cancer across Wirral, including those with cancer, in an initiative supported by Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance.
The Da Vinci robot, which costs £2m, has been installed at the Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre at Clatterbridge Hospital, and will be used in a range of elective surgical planned procedures including cancer with the aim of reducing waiting times.
Funded through the cancer alliance, the robot uses advanced technology to enable surgeons to operate with greater accuracy resulting in better outcomes and most importantly faster recovery times for patients with most patients will be able to go home the very next day.
Robotic surgery involves tiny incisions into the body through which miniature-sized instruments are inserted. Fully under the control of the surgeon at all times the robot exhibits impressive dexterity with its precision, even being capable of peeling the skin off a grape.
This is the second Da Vinci robot at Wirral University Teaching Hospital. The first one was installed at Arrowe Park Hospital ten years ago and so having a second will greatly expand the Trust’s robotic surgical capacity & capability.
Hayley Crawford, Urology and Robotic Specialist Lead, said: “The second robot will enable us to operate on more patients and they will be seen sooner. For the theatre team, this is a really exciting development.”
Mr Manal Kumar, Urology Surgeon at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said: “This robot will increase the capacity available. We installed the first robot at Arrowe Park Hospital over ten years ago. Since then, a lot of our cancer patients have been operated on robotically.
“The demand for this service has increased tremendously. Because there is now access to two robots, this will reduce waiting times for patients and enable more surgeons to be trained in robotic surgery at the centre.”
Mr Liviu Titu, Consultant Colorectal Cancer Lead at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said: “The availability of a dual console Da Vinci Xi robotic platform at the Cheshire and Merseyside Surgical Centre will ensure that more patients will benefit from having a minimally invasive surgical procedure that will facilitate quicker recovery and earlier resumption of normal activities. Additionally, the range and scope of conditions suitable for robotic surgery will be expanded, whilst training in this modern technique will be more readily available to surgeons in the region.”