Transform Today's Surgery with Tomorrow's Technology
UCAN needs YOUR help to purchase the latest in advanced technology for surgery for the North-east of Scotland.
What's the project?
UCAN, the North-east's urological cancer charity, is aiming to raise £2.5million by 2013 to add value to the excellent work currently being carried in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by bringing to the North-east of Scotland the most advanced technologies for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), also known as keyhole surgery.
The past few years have seen dramatic improvements and developments in surgery globally and MIS is increasingly the surgical technique of choice for a wide range of operations in many surgical specialties around the world.
Three of the four most common cancers – prostate, bowel and bladder – as well as gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis can be treated using robotic equipment. This mimics a human hand and is controlled remotely by the surgeon, who watches greatly magnified three-dimensional (3D) high definition video images of the operation on a screen.
The surgical robot is a powerful and advanced tool that enables precision surgery to be carried out in many more patients, speeding up operating times and reducing recovery time.
Who will benefit?
This is a partnership project involving principally the urological, general surgery and gynaecological teams at ARI but the robot – the first of its kind in the North-east of Scotland – will be available for local people who need specialised operations from other surgical specialties too, such as paediatric surgery, ENT and cardiac surgery. It will
be particularly beneficial for patients with prostate, colorectal (bowel and rectal) and gynaecological cancers and has been proven to offer numerous benefits in terms of success of the operation, reduction in complications, shorter recovery time, shorter hospital stay, reduction in need for blood transfusion and a faster return to normal activity and work.
What will my money be spent on?
UCAN's aim is to create a theatre suite at ARI with two integrated operating theatres that will have the capacity for robotic-assisted surgery.
The robot is controlled by the surgeon and allows very delicate and complex procedures to be carried out with relative ease while still allowing minimally invasive techniques to be used.
The robotic equipment currently costs around £1.5million and the suite of two specially designed theatres will cost £1million, which cannot be covered by current NHS budgets.
Above all, you will be investing in emerging technology that will directly benefit people who live and work in Europe's Energy Capital.
What are the long-term benefits?
ARI's standard theatres cannot accommodate the robotic equipment, which need to be housed in specifically designed operating theatres in which the conditions – such as the temperature and lighting – can be controlled by the surgeon. These new theatres will improve the current facilities and future-proof ARI for the next generation.
The robot will be used in training your future surgeons, as well as being used for vital research work such as further evaluation of the impact of robotic surgery.
Robotic-assisted surgery is the best current technology available for minimally invasive surgery and the installation of these state-of-the art theatres and robotic equipment will ensure ARI can continue to provide the very best possible service for the people of the North-east, Orkney and Shetland.
UCAN, the North-east's urological cancer charity, is aiming to raise £2.5million by 2013 to add value to the excellent work currently being carried in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by bringing to the North-east of Scotland the most advanced technologies for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), also known as keyhole surgery.