Sheffield Teaching Hospitals’ robot enables less invasive prostate surgery

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has introduced the da Vinci Xi robot to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, with the aim of enabling less invasive prostate surgery.

The robot-assisted surgery (RAS) system, from Intuitive was installed in May 2024 to allow surgeons at the hospital to perform intricate, minimally invasive procedures with greater precision.

It also expands the range of patients eligible for robotic surgery, because it involves smaller incisions and quicker recovery times compared to traditional open surgery.

Dr Yates, consultant urologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, said: “We have been a leader in robotic surgery for several years and I am delighted that investment in this latest robot enables even more patients to have less invasive surgery and to be able to recover quicker and with good outcomes”.

One of the first patients to have surgery with the da Vinci Xi robot was Trevor Palay, who had a radical prostatectomy after being diagnosed by an aggressive from of prostate cancer.

Following surgery on 31 May, he was able to return home the following day and has made rapid progress with his recovery,  according to a press release.

Palay said: “I’ve been able to go on little walks up and down the street without much difficulty, which I was really surprised at”.

In May 2024, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals announce that it had carried out  the region’s first RAS hysterectomy , using a da Vinci X robot.

Meanwhile, Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust announced that it has carried out the first RAS hysterectomy in Kent and Medway at Darent Valley Hospital, using a da Vinci robot delivered to the hospital in March 2024.