The Operating Theatre Journal - Flipbook - Page 38
Guy’s and St Thomas’ pioneer Hugo robot surgical system
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has become the first UK trust to pioneer the
newest surgical robot, the Hugo robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system, from Medtronic.
The adoption of Hugo into the largest robotic surgery programme in the
UK brings the number of robots at the trust to seven, with the machines
operating across six specialties. In March this year, a team from Guy’s
and St Thomas’ became the first in the world to use RAS to operate
through a patient’s mouth.
During a procedure with Hugo, the surgeon sits at an open console,
which displays the 3D view, allowing surgeons to precisely control the
robotic arms and instruments. Only tiny incisions are made to the body
– through which the hi-tech surgical tools and a state-of-the-art camera
are inserted.
Ben Challacombe, clinical lead for robotic surgery at Guy’s and St
Thomas’, said: “We carry out the most robotic operations in the NHS
with more than 1,500 cases a year. Expanding our robotics programme
with Hugo allows us to offer the benefits of this technology, including
fewer complications and smaller scars, to even more patients.”
George Murgatroyd, vice president and general manager, digital
technologies, surgical operating unit, at Medtronic, said: “We’re
honoured to partner with Ben Challacombe and the team at Guy’s
and St Thomas’ to lead a forward-thinking approach to working with
robotics and digital solutions in the operating theatre, in support of our
mission to expand access to care to more patients around the world.”
Medtronic is prioritising making minimally-invasive surgery accessible
to more people globally. As a result, it is focusing on building a full
ecosystem of robotics and digital solutions for the operating room.
As with other robotic-assisted surgery systems, the Hugo brings a
number of benefits to patients – including fewer complications and
reduced length of hospital stays. In addition, it also brings wristed
instruments to surgeons, as well as high-definition 3D visualisations to
help them perform their surgeries.
To ensure that surgeons at Guy’s and St Thomas’ are highly trained
in the system, the trust has also partnered with Proximie to support
surgical training on the Hugo RAS system.
The Proximie platform allows surgeons to observe live surgeries
without the need to be physically present, as well as access recordings
of previous surgeries.
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Former Sheffield Hospitals Senior Nurse honoured in King’s Birthday Honours
A former Sheffield Hospitals senior nurse has been recognised in the King’s first Birthday Honours list,
receiving a British Empire Medal (BEM) for her services to nursing.
The project saw her bring together a 40
strong multi-disciplinary team of health
professionals to make changes in practice
which resulted in a fall in the rate of surgical
site infections in patients undergoing hip
replacements from 1.8 per cent to 0.3 per
cent below the national average in 2019.
Her leadership and strategic direction led
to a significant reduction in harmful falls in
older patients on orthopaedic wards. She
also developed a dashboard for other senior
nurses to see information about their ward’s
performance on a number of indicators such
as how well they were preventing pressure
ulcers in patients.
Catherine Bailey, 61, who began her
career as an intensive care unit nurse
over 40 years ago, was nominated for
her innovative and most recent work
at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust where she developed
a new programme of work called ‘Bug
Busters’.
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At the start of the COVID pandemic, with just
two days’ notice, Catherine created a training
programme used to train over 1,000 nurses in
a month in preparation for managing patients
with COVID-19. She was also the recipient of a
‘Gold’ Chief Nursing Officer award in 2021.
Commenting on her BEM Catherine said: “It
was such a fabulous and humbling surprise.
To be recognised for my contribution to
nursing and the job which I loved and felt so
passionate about means a great deal to me.
THE OPERATING THEATRE JOURNAL
I owe so much to Sheffield Teaching
Hospitals for the support and opportunities
especially the senior nursing team. I feel so
very blessed and thankful not only to have
worked alongside and been supported by
such amazing colleagues at all levels within
the nursing and wider health care teams but
most of all to the patients I learnt so much
from.”
Professor Chris Morley, Chief Nurse at
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust, said: “We are so proud that Catherine
has been recognised in the King’s Birthday
Honours. Catherine held the highest
standards of care in both clinical practice and
leadership and always kept patients at the
forefront of any conversation. This medal is
richly deserved and a fantastic testament to
her outstanding achievements and passion for
nursing.”
Catherine will be presented with her award
by HM Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire,
Dame Professor Hilary Chapman DBE, on
behalf of His Majesty The King, at a local
ceremony at a later date. She has also been
invited to attend a Royal Garden Party.
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