Robotic Surgery
This article was first published in the summer 2018 edition of news@Medway, a contemporary magazine from NHS. A PDF of the article can be read here.
Since we welcomed the da Vinci robot to the Trust last year, more than 130 prostate and Kidney patients have benefitted from this state of the art technology. Jodie Moore.
Da Vinci is a surgery tool which revolutionises the care provided to patients undergoing surgery. Under the control of a highly trained surgeon, da Vinci is able to perform complex and incredibly precise procedures.
The robot offers vision, dexterity and precision at a greater level than the human hand. And there are clear benefits for patients: people who undergo surgery by da Vinci tend to experience less pain, go home sooner and have less chance of experiencing a complication, such as a postoperative infection.
Medway is the hub of the West Kent Urology Cancer Centre, and the introduction of this innovative equipment means that prostate, kidney and soon colorectal cancer patients across the whole area will benefit.
Here Wigmore resident Gino Manzotti talks about his experience of robotic surgery:
“I had my annual health check last year and my PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels were high. I was referred for biopsy and discovered I had cancer in my prostate. It was a real shock because I’d had no problems or symptoms at all. I was very fit, in fact I felt fitter than when I was 30 years old! I play golf three times a week, I go for long walks regularly, my diet is very healthy-surely there couldn’t be a problem with my prostate, but there was. Luckily the cancer was contained in my prostate and had not spread.”
“I discussed my treatment options with my consultant and I did a lot of research myself. I wasn’t really keen on surgery, but then Mr Matin Sheriff at Medway Hospital told me about the da Vinci robot method and it seemed like the best option for me. I liked that it wasn’t as invasive as open surgery and I was told the recovery time would be much quicker.
“I had my operation on 16th January this year. I would have been home 24 hours later, but I had to stay an extra day because of liquid in my abdomen. I was so well looked after during my stay in hospital, and the after care has been brilliant. I had very little pain and no huge scars.
“Since my diagnosis I’ve been encouraging everyone I know to have the PSA test. You just don’t know what’s going on in there.”
Surgeons who use the robot undergo two months of extensive training and are monitored by a mentor for their first few operations. While da Vinci has been benefitting prostate and kidney patients across the region, we are now expanding the range of procedures carried out by robotic surgery.
Gino says “I’ll be 70 this year, the same age as the NHS. Its amazing to see how far surgery has come in this time-it seems crazy to think that I have been operated on by a robot.”
Footnote, since then the procedure has been expanded to include bladder surgery.
Robotic Surgery, Gino’s story
This article was first published in the summer 2018 edition of news@Medway, a contemporary magazine from NHS. A PDF of the article can be read here.
Since we welcomed the da Vinci robot to the Trust last year, more than 130 prostate and Kidney patients have benefitted from this state of the art technology. Jodie Moore.
Da Vinci is a surgery tool which revolutionises the care provided to patients undergoing surgery. Under the control of a highly trained surgeon, da Vinci is able to perform complex and incredibly precise procedures.
The robot offers vision, dexterity and precision at a greater level than the human hand. And there are clear benefits for patients: people who undergo surgery by da Vinci tend to experience less pain, go home sooner and have less chance of experiencing a complication, such as a postoperative infection.
Medway is the hub of the West Kent Urology Cancer Centre, and the introduction of this innovative equipment means that prostate, kidney and soon colorectal cancer patients across the whole area will benefit.
Here Wigmore resident Gino Manzotti talks about his experience of robotic surgery:
“I had my annual health check last year and my PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels were high. I was referred for biopsy and discovered I had cancer in my prostate. It was a real shock because I’d had no problems or symptoms at all. I was very fit, in fact I felt fitter than when I was 30 years old! I play golf three times a week, I go for long walks regularly, my diet is very healthy-surely there couldn’t be a problem with my prostate, but there was. Luckily the cancer was contained in my prostate and had not spread.”
“I discussed my treatment options with my consultant and I did a lot of research myself. I wasn’t really keen on surgery, but then Mr Matin Sheriff at Medway Hospital told me about the da Vinci robot method and it seemed like the best option for me. I liked that it wasn’t as invasive as open surgery and I was told the recovery time would be much quicker.
“I had my operation on 16th January this year. I would have been home 24 hours later, but I had to stay an extra day because of liquid in my abdomen. I was so well looked after during my stay in hospital, and the after care has been brilliant. I had very little pain and no huge scars.
“Since my diagnosis I’ve been encouraging everyone I know to have the PSA test. You just don’t know what’s going on in there.”
Surgeons who use the robot undergo two months of extensive training and are monitored by a mentor for their first few operations. While da Vinci has been benefitting prostate and kidney patients across the region, we are now expanding the range of procedures carried out by robotic surgery.
Gino says “I’ll be 70 this year, the same age as the NHS. Its amazing to see how far surgery has come in this time-it seems crazy to think that I have been operated on by a robot.”
Footnote, since then the procedure has been expanded to include bladder surgery.
