State-of-the-art robotic surgery in Redditch has helped improve treatment for more than 100 women. 

Robotic surgery at the Alexandra Hospital has helped perform surgeries for gynaecological conditions with greater precision for patients across Worcestershire. 

Surgeons from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust have also used the robot to help reduce post-operative pain and lower the risk of complications from blood loss. 

More than 100 patients with conditions including endometriosis, heavy menstrual bleeding, fibroids and gynaecological cancers, many of which require a hysterectomy, have now undergone surgery using the robot. 

This has allowed surgeons to perform more complex cases than they would previously have been able to offer patients. 

Gretchen Lach, who was one of the first patients to undergo robotic surgery to remove endometriosis, said: "The idea of robotic surgery sounded like a sci-fi movie. 

"Having never had surgery before, I was quite nervous about it in the beginning but after talking with Miss Ghosh and her team, I felt more confident and comfortable with the surgery. 

"After my surgery, my quality of life is improving daily. Before surgery, I had debilitating pain every day that completely stole my life away from me and my family. 

"Now I am able to do most of the things I need and want to do. It's kind of odd realising how much I haven't been able to do for so long that I can now do easily like walking, standing up straight and being able to go out for a meal with friends and family.

"Miss Ghosh and her team were phenomenal, they were all very kind and supportive. Every question I asked was met with honesty, respect and clear answers. I could not have been in better hands, I am extremely grateful to them all."

Robotic surgery is performed by specially trained surgeons and provides them with a 3D and highly-magnified view of the areas they are operating on. 

The instruments used offer a greater variety of movement than in conventional keyhole surgery allowing for even greater surgical precision. 

The Da Vinci Xi robot was first used at the hospital in 2022 for prostate cancer surgery, but after more surgeons have been trained in robotic-assisted surgery, it can now be offered to patients for some gynaecological, urological and colorectal conditions. 

On average, patients undergoing robotic surgery for hysterectomy or removal of endometriosis at Alexandra Hospital go home the same day as their surgery, and there have so far been no patients who have needed to be converted to open surgery.

Consultant Gynaecologist and Endometriosis Specialist Donna Ghosh said: "We have now performed over 100 gynaecological robotic surgery cases which is a huge achievement to the benefit of our patients, especially those with more severe endometriosis that involves other structures such as the bladder and bowel.

"We anticipate further expanding our offering towards joint surgery across different clinical specialities in future."

Consultant Gynaecologist and Gynaecology Cancer Specialist Rina Panchal added: "The complexity of cases we are undertaking within the speciality is increasing.

"We can now operate locally on patients with malignant or pre-malignant endometrial conditions with a high BMI that previously were either treated medically and advised to lose weight or referred to other hospitals further afield."