A DUDLEY surgeon has performed his first procedure using a surgical robot on a patient at Russells Hall Hospital.

Urology consultant Syed Shahzad performed a kidney removal and a reconstruction procedure using the £1.5million da Vinci Xi surgical system at hospital run by The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

The technology allows the surgeon to view the operative field in magnified three dimensional, high-definition view, enhancing the accuracy and ability to perform complex operations. The surgery, which sees the surgeon sit in an operating console to control the robotic arms, also offers improved recovery time for patients.

Mr Shahzad said: “It is a great milestone in delivering advanced, minimally invasive cancer operations for people of Black Country and beyond.

“This great initiative has enhanced the availability of cutting-edge technology to deliver high quality cancer surgery, clearing the back log and will significantly reduce cancer treatment waiting times in post Covid environment.”