An NHS trust has carried out the first robotic-assisted HIT list in their region, as an innovative way to reduce the number of patients waiting for treatment.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust carried out the high intensity theatre list, or HIT list, on 6 September, for patients waiting for hernia and gallbladder surgery.
Of the eight patients operated on, five underwent robotic-assisted surgery, which is more than double the average number of robotic surgeries that are usually performed in a day.
Physiotherapist Stephen Miller, 41, underwent a hernia repair. He said: “I was delighted to have been put on this list for surgery, as my hernia was quite uncomfortable at times and required management.
“I know surgery using robotics is becoming more common now, and in my field of work I know lots of people who are familiar with this type of surgery, so I wasn’t worried about it at all.”
Twenty-nine-year-old Afshia Iqbal from Birmingham also underwent robotic-assisted surgery to remove her gallbladder. She said: “I’ve had pain for a number of years and was told I needed surgery in March of this year, so I’m really happy to be seeing the surgeon today.
“I think it’s great that they’re offering weekend HIT lists so that people don’t have to wait so long for the care they need.”
The surgeries were carried out using a surgical robot allowing for more precise surgery and leading to faster recovery times and reduced risks of infection.
Both the theatre and surgery robot only require a short amount of time to set up between operations, and the next patient is prepared at the same time, maximising efficiency of the theatre and speeding up patient turnaround time.
HIT lists are usually held on weekends, focusing on one particular procedure, in order to safely and efficiently maximise the number of patients that can be treated in one day.
This is the first HIT list carried out in general surgery at the Trust, though others have been carried out in orthopaedics.
The surgery HIT list was led by Mr Rajeev Peravali, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, who said: “By delivering weekend surgical lists, we can maximise the number of patients we can see and make significant improvements to elective care and waiting times.
“By combining this with robotic-assisted surgery, we are also meeting recommendations outlined in NHS England’s Ten-Year Health Plan to utilise surgical robots as standard practice within theatres.
“I want to thank our team within surgical services for their efforts in coordinating this HIT list and making the day a success.”
Mr Peravali was the first to carry out robotic-assisted surgery at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust in March 2023. The Trust now has eight surgeons across two specialities who are trained in performing these procedures, and there are plans to carry out more HIT lists using the state-of-the-art technology in the future.