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A surgical team in the UK has carried out a world record-breaking number of robotically-assisted prostate removals in a single day, significantly cutting hospital wait times.
The achievement is part of The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust’s bid to treat prostate cancer patients as quickly and efficiently as possible.
According to the consultant surgeon Dr. Wissam Abou Chedid, their efforts cut the waiting list by 25 percent in just one day.
On Saturday, May 20, 12 men, all with prostate cancer, underwent radical prostatectomies after a team developed a safe and efficient way to maximize the number of prostatectomies they can perform.
The operation removes the prostate gland and the cancer cells inside it.
Five surgeons and four theater teams at the Guildford Hospital worked across three operating theaters to carry out the procedures.
Back in February, the same expert team completed nine procedures in a day, which was a UK first and the equivalent of a week’s worth of patients in a day.
Dr. Matthew Perry, consultant urological surgeon and clinical director of urology said: “It is a testament to the fantastic team that we have here in Guildford that we have been able to achieve this feat.
“It has involved an incredible amount of planning from many different departments.”
One of the patients, David Retter, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer after visiting his GP.
The 68-year-old retired grandfather from Winchester said: “The NHS has been fantastic.
“I was expecting that I would have a long wait, but it has all happened really quickly.
“When you hear those words that you have cancer it is scary, but the speed that it has been dealt with has just been incredible.
“It is exciting to be part of something out of the ordinary.”
According to Prostate Cancer UK, around one in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.
The American Cancer Society’s estimates that about 34,700 people will die from prostate cancer in 2023. It is one of the most common cancers in American men.
There are often no symptoms, but some men may suffer from urinary problems.
Royal Surrey is one of the top three Trusts in the country in terms of how many robotic-assisted radical prostatectomies are carried out.
It is also a national leader in the field of robotic surgery.
The Trust carried out more than 550 pelvic surgery operations for prostate cancer and bladder cancer in the UK in 2022
The Trust has three state-of-the-art da Vinci Xi surgical systems. All three systems have dual console technology, which allows surgical trainees to gain hands-on experience in robotic-assisted surgery alongside established surgeons.
Dr. Wissam Abou Chedid, consultant urological surgeon involved in the planning of the High-Intensity Theatre list, said: “Our motivation centers solely on improving the experience of our patients.
“In a single day, we have significantly reduced our waiting list and 12 men who were anxiously awaiting surgery have received the care they need.
“No cases were rushed and the operations themselves took the same amount of time, we were just able to reduce the turnaround time between each patient.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
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