Surgical robot fund gets £2m boost

Robots could be assisting with prostate cancer surgery in Scotland within the next two years

The Scottish government has pledged £2 million to a charity to help fund the purchase of two robots to assist with prostate cancer surgery in the east and west of Scotland.

The surgery will be performed by a surgeon operating a Da Vinci robot, developed by California-based Intuitive Surgical, which utilises keyhole technology.

During the procedure, the surgeon sits close to the patient, remotely operating the four surgical "arms" of the robot from a console. The surgeon views the operation through a video monitor.

Robotics allow a level of surgical precision that is not available in standard keyhole surgery, making complex manoeuvres easier to perform.

Professor Alan McNeill, consultant urological surgeon at Western General Hospital and trustee of Prostate Scotland, said: "The case for minimal access prostate cancer surgery is undeniable and wider availability of robot-assisted surgery will ensure that a greater number of surgeons can be trained to deliver this type of surgery in high volume centres of excellence.

"There is clear and strong evidence that having minimal access surgery performed with a dedicated team of very experienced surgeons offers the optimum way to deliver this important treatment and ensure the best outcomes for patients."

The funding follows on from the Scottish government's investment of up to £1 million to support UCAN, the urological cancer charity in the north east, to help NHS Grampian purchase a robot to be located in Aberdeen by October.