Hampshire Hospital Surgery First

7 September 2012, 06:00

A hand-held robot is being used for the first time to perform reconstructive surgery on the pelvis at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.

Doctors will use the new piece of surgical equipment when they operate on a patient with gynaecological prolapse and bowel dysfunction today. 

The revolutionary advancement in robotic technology, called the Kymerax, is set to improve surgery across the country offering a more precise and quick surgical procedure, with less invasive trauma to patients. 

The device is portable, which means it could be used across Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – Andover War Memorial Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospitals.

Robots currently in use in UK hospitals are large, immobile and expensive and cost around £1.8 million 

The new motorised, hand held surgical instrument costs around £300-£400 per device.  

Hampshire Hospitals Consultant Surgeons Christian Phillips and Arcot Venkatsubramanium will carry out the operation. Mr Phillips is a consultant gynaecologist and Mr Venkatsubramanium is a consultant colorectal surgeon.

Mr Phillips said: “Our team is very excited about this latest technology and it’s an honour to be the first in the UK to carry out reconstructive surgery on the pelvic floor using this device. It’s the fusion of maintaining the feel and touch during an operation with the greater robotic articulation that makes it so special. This robot can do things not physically possibly with a human wrist and gives you the best of both worlds”.