More than 500 women have benefited from robotic gynaecology surgery at our Trust, helping us to reduce one of our longest waiting lists.

Since introducing two robots into our Elective Surgical Hub at King George Hospital in 2021, we have performed 564 robotic operations for conditions including prolapse, heavy periods and incontinence, providing patients with quicker recovery times and better outcomes.
 
We hosted a special event to mark the achievement, which was attended by Ilford South MP Jas Athwal and the Mayor of Redbridge, Beverley Brewer.
 
When we launched the service in 2021, only one surgeon was trained in robotic techniques. Today, we now have four fully trained surgeons who can carry out these operations.
 
A typical robotic surgery lasts between one and two hours depending on how complex the condition is. The surgeon operates from a console and controls the robot, supported by an assistant.

 

Compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery, the robotic method offers greater precision for surgeons, especially for more complex cases.
 
Among those who have benefited from the surgery is Kelly Riley from Brentwood, who underwent a robotic operation at King George Hospital in March to treat a bladder problem.
 
Kelly had struggled with the condition for years, impacting her quality of life and she was unable to use the gym.
 
Kelly spent just over an hour in theatre, where robotic arms made small incisions on her abdomen before fixing her bladder.
 
She was discharged the next day and fully recovered around two months later. Since then, her symptoms have completely resolved, and she describes her quality of life as “brilliant.”
 
Sadie Nolan, also from Brentwood, first underwent robotic surgery at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London in 2018 after being diagnosed with endometriosis on her lungs. 
 
In January this year, Sadie had her most recent robotic surgery at King George Hospital to remove a non-cancerous growth from her uterus.
 
Sadie spoke at the event about her experiences of robotic surgery.
 
She said:

Having this instead of open surgery reduced the amount of scarring I have. The robot is quite precise so I only have little scars.

Redbridge Mayor Beverley Brewer has experienced endometriosis and spoke of her support for women’s health services in the area.
 
Jas Athwal said robotic surgery is “absolutely fantastic” and praised the life-changing impact it will have for local residents.
 
Meanwhile, we completed a ‘super weekend’ of complex robotic procedures this Saturday and Sunday.
 
Over the two days, 15 advanced cases were successfully carried out using robotic surgery, along with two additional operations performed without the robot.