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Robot assists cancer surgery at Addenbrooke's

The robot in action

A robot has been assisting with surgery for prostate cancer Addenbrooke's Hospital - the new recruit is one of only a few in the UK, and the first in the region.

American surgeons travelled to the hospital last week to train staff how to use the new equipment, and the first few operations have proved a great success.

The da Vinci Robotic System assists surgeons with operations on patients with prostate cancer by helping to remove the whole prostate gland or just the seminal vesicles using telescopes inserted into the patient's abdomen.

The robot has three arms operated from a console by the surgeons. Two of them hold surgical instruments and one is for a 3D camera.

David Neal, Professor of Surgical Oncology, said: "This surgery is safer and has fewer side effects. The robot allows us to do a type of keyhole surgery which is minimally invasive, gives a clear and magnified view and allows great precision.

"Patients recover a lot more quickly. Normally they would be in hospital for five to eight days but every patient so far has managed to go home the following day.

"Not only is this good for patients but it's very good for the NHS as well."

Prostate cancer tends to affect men over the age of 50, and is rarely found in men under that age. Around 30,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. It differs from most other cancers in the body, because small areas of cancer within the prostate are very common and may stay dormant for many years. It is the commonest cause of cancers in men.

9 November 2005

For further press/media information contact: PR & Communications Department, Box 53, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ; Tel: 01223 274 433; Fax: 01223 257 143; Minicom: 01223 274 604.