Wexham Park Hospital: £2million robot tech delivers 'great success' in first operation

The first patient to undergo surgery using new robotic technology at Wexham Park Hospital has said she is a ‘living tribute’ to the capability of the hospital’s equipment and staff.

Isobel Withers, 80, from Cookham, had complex surgery to remove a suspected cancerous growth on January 26, but because of the technology and its skilled surgeon, she made a quick recovery and now feels ‘fit as a fiddle’.

NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust, which runs Wexham Park Hospital and Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, invested £2million in the technology for the Slough hospital which is hoped to drastically improve patient recoveries.

The trust’s chief of strategy James Clarke said the rollout marked ‘an important milestone’ in a wider rollout of cutting-edge robotic technology for its clinical staff.

Isobel Withers was the first patient to be treated using the new technology

Da Vinci Xi, the name of Wexham Park’s new machine, is the size of a person and features large robotic arms which are controlled by a surgeon to perform operations.

At Wexham Park Hospital, da Vinci Xi will be used for multiple clinical services, including general surgery, colorectal surgery, gynaecology, and urology.

Ms Withers’ operation, to remove a suspected cancerous growth on her colon, was undertaken by consultant general and colorectal surgeon Alexandra Cope.

Ms Withers said: “When the surgeon first discussed the procedure, I thought it was just going to be a robot operating on me until she reassured me that she would be guiding it - we had a laugh about that.

“The procedure was a great success, I felt well straight after the operation and was able to walk around with very little pain.

“I have a very big family, with seven children, 14 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and great-great-grandkids, so it’s absolutely brilliant that I recovered so quickly.

“I feel as fit as a fiddle and I’m a living tribute to Alex’s work and the robot.”

Miss Cope said Ms Wither’s example showed how the robotic technology could have a dramatic impact on a patient’s recovery.

“With open surgery, the length of stay can be up to a week for this procedure; yet Isobel was well enough to go home after just two days,” she said.

“The da Vinci Xi improves the view of the surgical site. It’s a minimally invasive technique, so there is less scarring externally and less tissue disruption internally.

“This leads to less pain, reduced blood loss and it also lowers the risk of complications. As a result, patients are usually up and out of bed the day after their operation and are able to return home quickly to continue their recovery.”

NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust’s chief strategy officer James Clarke said: “This is an important milestone in our robotic surgery programme which reinforces our commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes and experiences for our patients.

“This investment at Wexham Park strengthens our strategic goal of providing high-quality, personalised care across the trust while embracing innovation and technology.

“It also creates exciting opportunities for training and development in robotic surgery, helping us attract and retain specialist clinicians.”