Last Month, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust celebrated the one-year anniversary of their robotic surgical programme launch. The programme, which began following an investment of £1 million from King’s College Hospital Charity towards the Da Vinci Xi RAS, has since seen over 230 robotic operations.

The Trust first deployed the Robot Assisted Surgical (RAS) system at their Denmark Hill site in May 2023 for use in general surgery, as well as other specialist surgical fields, including bariatrics, colorectal, gynaecology and urology.

According to the Trust, robotic-assisted surgery has transformed how their patients receive care, from experiencing less pain to enjoying shorter recovery times and reduced hospital stays. With shorter recovery times and fewer complications, patients have been able to return home faster, freeing up bedspace for patients on the waiting list.

Tahira Hasnat was the first patient to undergo surgery using the new robotic system. After the surgery she said, "I was surprised by the size of incisions, they are so small I can hardly see them. I had no significant pain and recovery was smooth with no issues."

The Da Vinci Xi RAS system has helped to advance surgery by enabling surgical staff to gain better visualisation and precision, and therefore perform less invasive procedures. Another patient, Kenneth told the Trust, “Having robotic surgery completely eased my worries around the procedure. The surgeon was in full control of the operation the whole time; the only difference was that the robot gave the surgeon better precision. That really put my mind at ease.”

MR AMYN HAJI, CLINICAL DIRECTOR IN SURGERY, MEETING THE THE DA VINCI XI RAS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Celebrating the achievement, Amyn Haji, Clinical Lead of Robotic Surgery and Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said “It has been a fantastic first year for our robotic surgical programme at King’s, and I am delighted, especially for our patients who are now able to recover and go home much sooner.”

“I couldn’t be prouder and more grateful to everyone involved and to King’s College Hospital Charity in particular, without whose support it would not have been possible. This is an exciting start for robotic surgery at King’s, and I look forward to all that we will continue to achieve.”

Iona Joy, Director of Grants and Insight, King’s College Hospital Charity added, “The surgical robot is a testament to what we can achieve together. By raising money for King’s College Hospital Charity, no matter how big or small your donation may be, you’re helping to bring this transformative technology to life. We simply couldn’t do it without you, and we are deeply grateful for your support.”