Surgery robot 'game-changing' for cancer patients

Cancer patients are due to benefit from a new surgical robot in Sheffield after a funding boost.

Sheffield Hospitals Charity has funded Northern General Hospital's da Vinci Xi surgical system with a £1.45m donation - said to be its largest ever single contribution.

The robot, which is operated by a surgeon, can perform delicate and complex operations with a small number of incisions and with more dexterity than a human hand, according to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Beth Crackles, chief executive of the charity, said: "This is a tremendous boost for cancer patients locally and we are truly grateful to the generosity of the people of Sheffield for making it possible."

She said this was the second "game-changing" robotic surgery system funded by the charity's supporters after Royal Hallamshire Hospital gained one in 2019.

From April, the new machine will be used for surgery on patients with a range of cancers, including lung, oesophageal, stomach, liver and kidney.

Patients will benefit from faster recovery times, fewer and less invasive incisions, reduced complications and shorter hospital stays, according to the trust.

It said the robot provides a magnified view of the surgical site and can make miniaturised 360-degree movements, surpassing the ability of the human hand.

Trust chief executive Kirsten Major said she was "delighted" that robotic-assisted surgery would be offered at a second of the trust's hospitals.

"We are extremely grateful to Sheffield Hospitals Charity and their donors for this significant donation which will help save lives and impact positively on patients in Sheffield and beyond," she said.

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