In a groundbreaking medical development, a seven-year-old boy from Gosport, Hampshire, has become the first patient in the United Kingdom to undergo robotic surgery for a kidney condition. Reece Wilton underwent the pioneering operation at Southampton Children’s Hospital (SCH), part of University Hospital Southampton (UHS), using the state-of-the-art Versius Surgical Robotic System.
Reece was diagnosed with pelviureteric junction obstruction, a condition that affects between one in 1,000 and one in 1,500 children, causing a blockage or obstruction of urine flow from the kidney into the ureter. If left untreated, this condition can lead to a gradual loss of kidney function. The robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty procedure, performed by consultant paediatric urologist Ewan Brownlee, involved repairing the narrowing at the junction of the kidney pelvis and ureter.
The Versius Surgical Robotic System, created by UK-based company CMR Surgical, boasts a 720-degree range of motion, allowing for the use of smaller surgical instruments suitable for complex operations on paediatric patients. The robot’s unique “wrist rotation” feature enables easy manipulation of the instrument tip, minimising the size of the incision required.
The use of robotics in surgery has been shown to offer clear benefits for patients, including quicker healing times, smaller scars, and, in some cases, better overall outcomes. Mr Brownlee expressed his excitement about the potential for this technology to increase minimally invasive surgery for children across the UK as it becomes more widely available.
Reece’s mother, Elizabeth Wilton, shared her son’s initial nervousness about the operation but noted his excitement upon learning that a robot would be operating on him. She expressed complete faith in the team at Southampton Children’s Hospital and gratitude for Reece’s participation in this pioneering trial.
The robotic surgery system is being used as part of a study involving 150 patients. Stephen Griffin, consultant paediatric urologist at UHS, who assisted during the operation, believes this will be one of the most exciting developments within the field of paediatric urology over the next decade.
As the first paediatric trial using Versius begins in the UK, Mark Slack, co-founder and chief medical officer at CMR Surgical, expressed delight in the opportunity to perform robotic-assisted surgery for the treatment of paediatric patients. The success of this groundbreaking operation marks a significant step forward in the field of minimally invasive surgery for children, offering hope for improved outcomes and faster recovery times.
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