The first patient to be treated using Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's newest surgical robot has said he is "amazed" at how quickly he has been able to recover.
Andy Sturrock, 69, from Wincobank, was the first person to undergo pioneering robotic-assisted surgery using the brand-new da Vinci surgical robot and system, funded thanks to a £1.45m donation from Sheffield Hospitals Charity.
His gallbladder procedure took place on Monday 13th April at the Northern General Hospital and involved four small incisions into his abdomen.
The op was led by consultant surgeons Mr Clive Kelty and Mr Martin Trotter. It was performed in 40 minutes, with the team using the robot's four arms and highly flexible, miniature wristed instruments to make superhuman movements such as full rotation and reversal of direction to make fewer and less invasive incisions.
Seated at two separate consoles in the operating theatre, the surgeons also use hand and foot controls to control and guide the robot's movements, aided by a 3D high-definition simultaneous view of the surgical area.
Andy's procedure is the first of hundreds due to take place on the new surgical system, which offers enhanced precision, improved outcomes and faster recovery times for patients undergoing a wide range of procedures, including cancer surgeries.
'My life is back on track'
For Andy, the minimally invasive procedure meant he was back in his own home the same day, with minimal and virtually no scarring. The surgery's high precision has also meant he has been able to get his life back on track more quickly - and he was even well enough to look after his 16-month-old grandson, Felix, just ten days later.
Speaking about the experience he said:
"I've been amazed at how far I've come with it in such a short space of time. I've hardly had any pain from the four incision sites, and I'm only aware of them if I accidentally touch them."
Before his operation, Andy, who was diagnosed with gallbladder disease on New Year's Eve, said he had no energy to do anything and endured weeks of pain.
"Just before the op, I couldn't do anything. I just felt shattered. The pain from my gallstones was just getting horrendous and I couldn't even manage the short walk to the local corner shop. Looking after my grandson was challenging, too, and I had to lean on Felix's buggy due to the pain or go to a cafe to sit down."
.jpg)
Consultant surgeons Mr Clive Kelty and Mr Martin Trotter led the milestone op
But following his robotic-assisted surgery Andy has been able to look forward and enjoy life with an impulsive toddler.
"I'm fully recovered now, with all four scars completely healed and the week after the op I managed to drive my wife down to the post office with Felix there, no problem."
"The people, the staff and the team - they've all been brilliant. If anyone is given the option of having surgery with this robot, I'd thoroughly recommend it. I'd like to say thank you very much to everyone involved, including Sheffield Hospitals Charity. I'd give it all a thumbs up."
Mr Clive Kelty, Consultant Upper GI & General Surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "It's wonderful to hear that Andy is recovering well from his surgery. Since introducing the new surgical robot, we have been able to treat over 30 patients and we are really pleased with how it has gone so far.
"The robot allows us to see dramatically better than the naked eye, and the instruments are more precise - they can rotate far more than the human wrist can, as well as only moving when the surgeon does. It means that the surgery can be increasingly precise.
CEO of Sheffield Hospitals Charity, Beth Crackles, said: "We're incredibly proud of our £1.45m gift to help bring this state-of-the-art surgical robot to Sheffield. Andy's experience shows exactly why investments like this matter. Seeing patients recover more quickly, with less pain and disruption to their lives, is a powerful reminder of the difference our supporters help us make every day."
