Surgeons at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital are to benefit from the appointment of a new ‘colleague’ capable of working around the clock without ever tiring.

The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust has taken delivery of a ‘surgical robot’ – the first innovation of its kind for the West Midlands.

The robotic-assisted surgery is set to become operational across several departments at New Cross from May this year, starting in Urology and then becoming available for certain procedures within Gynaecology, Colo-Rectal, and Cardiology.

The Da Vinci Robot is an instrument with a proven track record, which will help surgeons provide less invasive surgery, and give them the ability to see far greater detail during operations.

Clinicians are currently undergoing intensive training before the system, which is being leased by the Trust, becomes operational.

Chief Executive David Loughton CBE said: “The benefits of using this instrument are huge.

“Patients operated on using this method can expect less scarring, a shorter hospital stay and far less risk of infection.

“Clearly, this type of surgery cannot be used for everything we do, but it will certainly help us to become more efficient, whilst reducing the level of discomfort experienced by our patients.”

The system, which has already been tried and tested in a number of London hospitals as well as Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, is said to offer high definition 3D vision capable of seeing far greater detail, improves wrist movements that the human hand is not capable of achieving, and gives complete intuitive control over all three operative arms for ultimate precision and efficiency.

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