Prostate cancer surgery restarts in Glasgow
Robotic surgery for prostate cancer has resumed at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, with more than a dozen patients treated last month.
Surgery for prostate cancer had been put on hold as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
New precautions have been put in place to ensure the safety of patients and staff, including a deep cleaning of the facility.
The QEUH team are now arranging surgery again for men from the west of Scotland who require prostatectomies.
The surgeons remotely operate robotic “arms”, which carry out the procedure using the keyhole technique.
Use of the robot can improve recovery time and is less invasive than traditional open surgery. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde shared the story of one patient who has undergone robot surgery.
Stephen Black was diagnosed with prostate cancer late last year and his operation was delayed due to Covid-19.
He was meant to be on a charity ride of the Tour de France circuit last week, but had his rearranged surgery instead.
Mr Black said: “I was nervous like other people who have cancer on what the delay meant. But going into hospital, my mind was taken off the Covid situation. “Everyone from the support staff right through to the nursing team and surgeon made me feel safe and I never felt at risk.”
The robotic technology has been used since 2016 at QEUH for prostatectomies.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer amongst men in Scotland and one in ten Scottish men are likely to develop the disease.
Dr Imran Ahmad, a surgeon at the QEUH, said: “We’re really pleased to have prostate cancer surgery back up and running at the Queen Elizabeth using cutting-edge robotics technology. It has been a difficult time for our patients with cancer who had their surgeries delayed because of Covid-19. With new procedures in place, we’re now starting to operate on patients again in a safe and secure environment.
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Scotland so it’s good news we’re able to offer patients surgery again in the west of Scotland.”
Researchers have meanwhile said children with coronavirus may have neurological symptoms in the absence of the respiratory ones typically associated with Covid-19.
A new study indicates experts should consider Covid-19 when children present with these signs.
This is because respiratory symptoms are uncommon in children, or, when present, are mild and easily missed, scientists suggest.
It is also because data shows children carry the disease without symptoms.
The findings come after experts previously identified links to Covid-19 in a new and distinct condition in children.
The illness, named Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally associated with Sars-cov-2 (PIMSTS), was first recognised in April and up to 300 cases have been identified in the UK.
The study looked at patients younger than 18 years with Sars-cov-2 infection and neurological symptoms admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children between 1 March and 8 May this year.