…By Henry George for TDPel Media.
London surgeons have performed a record number of endometriosis operations in a single weekend using a new technique that could help to reduce the NHS backlog.
Specialists at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital completed 24 surgical procedures over Saturday and Sunday, eight times the number normally done in a week.
The new “High Intensity Theatre List” (HIT) approach involved two surgeons in two theatres performing 12 operations each, assisted by the Da Vinci surgical robot.
One in 10 women in the UK are affected by endometriosis, which causes chronic pain, fatigue and fertility issues.
Half a million women are on the waiting list for gynaecology treatment in the UK and more than 5,000 have been waiting for more than 18 months, according to Endometriosis UK.
The use of robotic tools has mainly been for cancer surgery and has been unavailable for endometriosis patients.
Surgery can help to relieve pain in cases of endometriosis.
The Da Vinci robots allow surgeons to perform operations in 35 to 40 minutes, compared with an hour or more for laparoscopic surgery, and cause less blood loss with faster recovery times.
Dr Jeffrey Ahmed, Consultant Gynaecologist and Service Director at the Trust, said that many endometriosis patients have “patchwork” access to surgery, and the new technique could help to reduce or remove their pain.
Ahmed added that the weekend of surgeries had required a “huge effort” from hospital staff and meticulous planning in the months prior.
The HIT lists could help to reduce the backlog in care caused by the Covid-19 pandemic if rolled out more widely.
There were over a million London patients waiting for routine hospital treatment at the end of February, including more than 88,000 waiting for gynaecological treatment.
Analysis and Commentary
The record-breaking number of endometriosis surgeries performed in a single weekend using the HIT technique is a testament to the skill of the surgeons involved and the effectiveness of the robotic tools used.
The new approach could prove to be a game-changer for women suffering from endometriosis and help to reduce the backlog in care caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The fact that half a million women are currently on the waiting list for gynaecology treatment in the UK and more than 5,000 have been waiting for over 18 months highlights the urgent need for new approaches to be developed to address the growing problem.
The use of robotic tools in the surgery is also noteworthy, as it allows for faster and more precise procedures with less blood loss and faster recovery times.
The fact that this technology has mainly been used in cancer surgery and has been unavailable for endometriosis patients until now shows the need for continued innovation and development in the medical field.
The HIT technique involves two surgeons in two theatres performing 12 operations each, with the help of a team of 20 members of staff focused on rapidly moving patients in and out of the theatre.
This demonstrates the importance of teamwork and planning in ensuring the success of complex surgical procedures.
The weekend of surgeries not only provided relief for the endometriosis patients involved but also served as a morale boost for the hospital staff involved, demonstrating the power of successful medical interventions in improving lives and bringing people together.