A team of highly-skilled robotic surgeons and clinical staff has carried out a record number of gallbladder operations in a single day using high-tech robots that assist with keyhole surgery.
January 26th's ‘Super Sunday’ saw surgeons undertake ten laparoscopic procedures with all patients treated and discharged the same day, with robotic surgery allowing this to happen because of faster recovery times.
Sunday’s marathon focussed on cholecystectomies – a surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder and offered in the event of painful gallstones in the upper part of the stomach. The pouch-like gallbladder is not medically essential.
Hepatobiliary Surgeon Mr Siong-Seng Liau, (right) Chair of CUH Robotic Surgery Steering Group (RUG) at Addenbrooke’s, said Super Sunday was a first for the hospital.
He thanked Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, and said the day had been made possible thanks to the generous donations of ACT supporters who raised a staggering £1.5 million to provide Addenbrooke’s with the new da Vinci Robotic System back in 2023.
By undertaking the same procedures in two theatres with two specialist da Vinci robots, specially trained surgeons can perform a large number of these operations safely and efficiently, helping reduce waiting lists. Many of the patients who developed more complex gallbladder disease had benefited from the faster recovery provided by robotic surgery.
The Super Sunday team
Addenbrooke’s robots are used across six specialties – urology, gynae-oncology, gynaecology, colorectal, ENT (ear, nose and throat) and HPB (hepato-pancreato-biliary – diseases of the liver, pancreas and biliary tree).
Mr Liau said: “Robotic surgery has revolutionised patient care, providing better precision and accuracy. It is less invasive allowing patients to recover more quickly and to have a shorter stay in hospital. In many cases, robotic surgery has converted some patients who conventionally may require open surgery due to more complex disease to now undergoing day-case robotic surgery.”
ACT CEO, Shelly Thake, (left) said: “It is important for everyone who has helped make this day possible by donating to ACT as part of the robot campaign to realise the huge impact their fundraising and donations have had.”
“To hear that the robotic surgery system that our supporters paid for is helping to reduce waiting list for patients is such a positive thing for the hospitals and our patients. I truly hope people know that every donation they make to ACT really does make a huge difference to the lives of patients and staff at the hospital and we are so incredibly grateful.”
Graham Johnston, Operations manager at CUH, added: “I would like to thank the robotic team for an incredibly successful Sunday, and everyone who works in theatres for an amazing couple of months. It has been a huge team effort during a really challenging time of year.”
To make a donation to ACT, and help make a difference to the lives of patients and families in the hospital, please visit www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/donate.
Patient Ian Dove applauds Super Sunday team
A great grandfather who had his gallbladder removed thanks to a robot and skilled surgeon Mr Siong-Seng Liau, said this week: “It was just remarkable.”
Ian Dove, 51, from Burwell, says he went into theatre at noon and left Addenbrooke’s at 3.30pm the same day. Had he undergone open surgery he would have been in hospital for a week.
“The incredible thing is that I left without any pain. I think keyhole surgery and Super Sundays to cut waiting lists are a fantastic idea.”
Mr Dove, who works in construction, went to his GP when he started suffering from pain in his upper stomach. The pain came and went, but when it became constant, he was referred to Addenbrooke’s.
After a lengthy wait for his operation Mr Dove, who was increasingly having to take days off work, jumped at the opportunity to be added to a smaller pilot Super Sunday list in December.
After a few weeks recovering at home Mr Dove, who has 13 grandchildren and four great grandchildren, is looking forward to spending more time with them.
He is also eager to get back to some fishing and his beloved 600cc Suzuki Bandit for a long-awaited ride to the Ice of Man TT motorcycle races in June.
Mr Dove, who lives with wife Glynis said: “There were days when I couldn’t pick up a screwdriver, let alone move bricks and cement, but after the operation I was absolutely fine with the exception of a few ‘bullet holes’, which you can hardly see now.”
