Pioneering robot keyhole surgery 'a UK first'

Surgeons at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have become the first in the UK to perform a procedure using a robot to tackle blood clots in the heart, offering ‘great potential’ to patients with complex conditions.

Malcolm Barlow, an 81-year-old former police superintendent from Chester-le-Street, became the first patient outside the US and Italy to undergo this minimally invasive surgery.

Malcolm, who suffers from arrhythmia and has a history of brain haemorrhages, was unable to take anti-clotting medication, making traditional procedures or open-heart surgery too risky.

Surgeons Dharmendra Agrawal and Professor Stephen Clark, from the Freeman Hospital, used a robotic device to attach a clip inside his heart, preventing the release of blood clots.

Mr Agrawal said: “This was a challenging case, and we planned this unique approach tailored especially to this patient.

“The irregular heartbeat means blood is not effectively pumped out of the heart, which may result in a clot forming, which can cause a potentially disabling or fatal stroke if it reaches the brain.

“The operation is safe and fast, lasting only 30 minutes. Malcolm had minimal pain afterwards, as the incision was a tiny 8mm. He returned home the next day to a full recovery.”

Bosses say the pioneering method could benefit many of the 1.4 million people in the UK living with atrial fibrillation, particularly those unable to use standard treatments.

Professor Clark added: “We believe this is the first time combining the robotic device with a minimally invasive procedure has been performed in the UK.

“We videoed the internal process of attaching the clip to the heart with the robotic arm for publication in scientific journals, to guide other surgeons in carrying out this operation, which has great potential to benefit a large population with similar conditions.”

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