^{Consultant Athula Tennakoon with Angela and Peter Hancox and Terry and Julie Rhodes (Image credit: NHS United Lincolnshire Hospitals)}

Patients who have undergone surgery and students interested in careers in engineering have been given hands-on experience of using a robotic-assisted surgery system at Lincoln County Hospital.

The Colorectal Surgery Team welcomed visitors for a day of demonstrations to showcase how robotic-assisted procedures have been making a difference to patients in Lincolnshire.

Visitors had the chance to speak to some of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s consultant surgeons, and had an opportunity to get to grips with a simulator and a duplicate model of the Da Vinci Xi system in place in one of Lincoln’s operating theatres.

The day was made possible thanks to the simulator and demonstration model being delivered from the Netherlands especially for the one-day event by Intuitive, the company who pioneered the system.

Consultant robotic Surgeon, Sridhar Dharmavaram, said: “The introduction of robotic-assisted surgery in Lincolnshire has been very positive.

He said more than 500 people were able to have their surgery closer to home in the first two years of having this technology in place, with shorter stays in hospital and faster recoveries when compared to laparoscopic (keyhole) surgeries. 

“This is the first demonstration event we’ve hosted of this kind, and the feedback from our patients, staff and the engineering students from local schools and colleges who were able to join us has been great.

"We are very proud of the services we are developing in Lincolnshire, and of the opportunities it offers to patients and those interested in a career in healthcare," he added.

The NHS Lincolnshire Talent Academy, which brings together health and care organisations across Lincolnshire to engage, recruit and develop future talent, supported engineering students to take part in the day.

This included groups from William Farr School, Lincoln College, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School and Lincoln University Technical College.