A seven-year-old boy has made history as the first child in London to successfully undergo an operation using a ‘revolutionary’ surgical robotic system at Evelina London Children’s Hospital, as part of a groundbreaking clinical trial. The state-of-the-art technology, known as the Versius Surgical Robotic System, uses flexible modular arms that allow surgeons to perform minimally invasive operations with heightened precision.
This can result in patients experiencing a shorter and less painful recovery period post-surgery. Rufus Quinn, a young boy from South London, underwent a robotic assisted pyeloplasty – a surgical procedure designed to correct a blockage at the ureteropelvic junction, the area between the kidney and the tube that drains urine into the bladder.
This type of blockage affects approximately 1 in 1,500 children and if left untreated through surgery, can cause pain and lead to an increased risk of infection and deterioration of kidney function.
Rufus underwent his surgery at Evelina London, part of the renowned Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. The operation was performed by the expert hands of consultant paediatric urologist Pankaj Mishra, who operated the cutting-edge Versius robotic system from the same room as Rufus, using an open console with a screen to guide the procedure.
The Versius system features four modular arms that replicate the movement of human joints, boasting an impressive 710-degree range of motion. Each arm is responsible for manipulating a miniaturised surgical tool, while one arm also manages a 3D camera, providing the surgeon with a detailed view inside the patient’s body.
Evelina London were the first surgical team in London to carry out a surgery using the Versius robotic system
(Image: Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust)
The robotic system is designed to convert the surgeon’s movements on the console into tinier, more precise actions by the robot’s instruments, enhancing the precision of the surgery. This can lead to less invasive procedures and potentially quicker recovery times for patients.
Jenny Quinn, Rufus’ mother, shared her thoughts: “Although Rufus was initially nervous about the surgery, he was mainly very excited. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up and he liked the idea of his surgeon using a futuristic robot to carry out his operation.
“The doctors at Evelina London have been brilliant and we cannot sing their praises enough. The surgery went smoothly and Rufus has been able to recover really quickly. He was able to return to school after a few days and is now even back to playing on his ice hockey team for Streatham again.”
In addition to speeding up patient recovery times, Versius can also make complex operations less physically demanding for surgeons. This could potentially reduce strain on surgical teams, allowing more complex surgeries to be carried out each day.
Mr Pankaj Mishra, said: “This robotic system has the potential to revolutionise the way we carry out complex surgeries in children. This type of system is much less tiring for the surgeon involved, which means that difficult surgeries can become a lot easier.
“At the moment, we typically only carry out one complex operation, such as a pyeloplasty, per surgical list. However, Versius has the potential to allow us to do more of these type of operations in a shorter period of time.”
Versius, typically used for adult surgeries, is now being trialled for paediatric use. CMR Surgical has teamed up with the NHS to launch a ground-breaking multi-centre clinical trial aimed at children’s surgery.
This innovative trial involves additional NHS sites including Southampton Children’s Hospital – part of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust – and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. Around 150 paediatric patients across the UK will undergo various urological procedures using Versius as an initial step, with further evaluations planned on its suitability for a broader range of conditions.
Dr Lance Tooke, Clinical Director for Children’s Surgery, Theatres and Anaesthesia at Evelina London, shared his enthusiasm: “Guy’s and St Thomas’ is the largest robotic programme in the UK and we, at Evelina London, are proud to be part of this programme. We are delighted to participate in this initial trial and hope this will open up new possibilities for using robotic systems in paediatric surgery.”
Stay updated on the top South London stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for the latest daily news and more.