Following the introduction of two robotic surgery units over 1,000 patients have benefitted from reduced recovery time and risk.

Northumbria Healthcare has marked its 1,000th operation utilising the Da Vinci system, in use at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital and North Tyneside General Hospitals since September 2021.

The units, which at a cost of over £3.7million offer more accurate results and a better post-operative experience for the patient, enable surgeons to operate using a console connected to a robot.

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The trust's patient feedback programme recorded positive responses with one patient saying: "I would recommend RAS [robotic-assisted surgery] to anybody as it was so great, and I have told everyone I meet about it.

"It has given me such a better quality of life; in fact, it has changed my life."

Mr Ibrahim Hamoodi, who recently performed a hysterectomy using the new technology, said: "Robotic surgery offers a significant advantage over traditional procedures for surgeons and clinicians... Patients don’t require an overnight stay and can be discharged on the same day."

Robotic surgery coordinator, Kirsty Sewell, added: "1,000 surgeries in just over two years is a great achievement for our team."