'It took years to get pain-relieving surgery - I hope a robot means others won't have to wait' — SkimNews
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- da Vinci became part of Belfast City Hospital's gynaecology team in May, funded by £2.4m in charitable donations; it is the first system of its kind on the island of Ireland and one of only a few across the UK.
- da Vinci has performed 130 surgeries, 105 of them on women with complex endometriosis, while four consultants have been trained to use it; its articulated wrists are said to enable steadier, more precise and less-invasive work in tight pelvic spaces.
- Belfast City Hospital treats complex gynaecology cases as a priority, so they are not bumped from the surgical list when cancer or other surgical cases arrive.
- Colleen Crothers waited 22 years from symptoms starting at 14 for a gynaecology referral and diagnosis, then needed a hysterectomy and a full bowel shave in June; she missed robot treatment by weeks but now reports being back at work and more or less pain-free.
- Northern Ireland has an average wait of about seven years for complex surgery, and treatment delays mean some women require hysterectomies; the new robot is intended to reduce those complex gynaecological waiting lists.
- Robbie Butler was expected as health minister to announce £1.95m for endometriosis services on Monday, including £700,000 for regional centres at Belfast City and Altnagelvin Area hospitals and £250,000 for each health trust to support women with less complex symptoms.
- Lauren Best said she was seeing less scarring and quicker recovery with da Vinci, helping women return to their feet more quickly after complex gynaecological surgery.
Why it matters: The stakes for women with complex endometriosis are clear: the average wait for complex surgery is about seven years, while complex cases handled by a robot already used in 130 operations receive priority on the surgical list. The planned £1.95m service investment includes two regional centres and £250,000 per health trust, widening access beyond the £2.4m donated machine.
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