March of robots is shown in figures
By Douglas Shepherd
There is no turning back the march of the robots in private healthcare surgery, according to new figures from the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN).
These demonstrate what it calls ‘a dramatic rise’ in their number in the independent sector with a 928% increase between 2016 and 2022.
Across private healthcare providers and the NHS, there was a 341% combined increase and a record year is expected for 2024.
Surgeons have performed nearly a quarter of a million (238,000) robot-assisted procedures over the six-year period, with 49,000 in 2022 compared to 11,000 in 2016.
There were 48,000 robotically-assisted procedures in the first three-quarters of 2023, the latest available data, so the UK is on track to register a record year when all the data is collected.
The number of robot-assisted procedures has risen every year since 2016 – except Covid-19- affected 2020 – in both the NHS and independent sector.
PHIN said up to the end of 2022 nationally, robotic-assisted surgery was most used for prostate-related procedures at 43.7k. The next highest was for pelvic lymph nodes operations at 12.1k procedures.
In the same period, in the independent sector, surgical procedures to restore the function of a joint were the most popular robotic-assisted procedure at 3.7k procedures.
Nuffield Health used robots the most (1.6k) for this type of procedure. HCA Healthcare UK carried out the largest volume of robot-assisted procedures overall.
Improved recovery rates
PHIN chief executive Dr Ian Gargan said: ‘Having robot assistance can aid accuracy with less invasive surgical approaches possible and we are seeing efficiencies with improved recovery rates, fewer complications and, therefore, opportunities to reduce waiting lists.
‘The robots are most often used on the highest-volume procedures such as hip and knee replacements, so being able to use them to speed up procedures and reduce complications will help surgeons to conduct more of the types of operations most people are waiting for.
‘Looking at the trajectory in the growth of this type of surgery so far and knowing what is possible, we don’t see why there wouldn’t continue to be huge increases in the use of robotic assistants.’
Although robots are expensive, he believes private hospitals have the budgets to purchase them and ensure that as many patients as possible are treated as soon as possible.
‘I’ve recently been observing surgeons conducting robot-assisted procedures and, as an orthopaedic surgeon myself, I find the process fascinating and inspiring.
‘Overall, the surgical and economic benefits point toward greater use of robots imminently especially in orthopaedics and urology. As artificial intelligence develops, it can only further assist this valuable new technology.’