UK NHS trains surgeons on Intuitive's Da Vinci 5 robot system

Dr. Sasha Stamenkovic performed a robot‑assisted removal of a lung tumour at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London using the Da Vinci 5 platform from Intuitive Surgical. After the two‑hour operation, he instructed three fellow surgeons from another English hospital on how to operate the system, which includes a 3‑D headset, a camera arm and three instrument‑holding robotic arms.

The training is part of a national NHS strategy to expand the use of robotic minimally invasive surgery, aiming for robotic assistance in nine out of ten such procedures in England by 2035. Trainees such as cardiothoracic surgery resident Ali Ansaripour participated, and the programme is overseen by Barts Health NHS Trust.

The Da Vinci 5 system can be applied across multiple specialties, including urology, gynaecology, colorectal, thoracic and general abdominal surgery, marking a significant step toward wider adoption of surgical robotics in the UK public health system.