Hospital performs gynaecology operations with da Vinci robot
Professor Long Jiao, pancreatic and liver surgeon at Cromwell Hospital, alongside his team and the da Vinci SP (Credit: Cromwell Hospital)
Cromwell Hospital in London has successfully performed gynaecology and Hepato Pancreato Biliary (HPB) operations using the robotic-assisted surgical system, da Vinci Single Port (SP).
The Kensington-based hospital installed the system from Intuitive in March 2025, which it also plans to use for urology operations.
Mr Amer Raza, consultant gynaecologist at Cromwell Hospital, who performed the first gynaecology surgery on the da Vinci SP, said: “It is an incredible honour to introduce the da Vinci SP to gynaecological surgery in the UK.
“At Cromwell Hospital, we are committed to leading innovation in surgical care, ensuring patients have access to state-of-the-art treatments that improve outcomes and recovery times.
“This technology will transform the way we approach complex procedures, including endometriosis and fibroid surgery, as well as hysterectomies.
“By integrating the da Vinci SP into our surgical practice, we are setting new benchmarks in precision and patient care.”
The da Vinci SP, which received CE mark approval in January 2024, is a platform for robotic-assisted surgery designed to enable surgeons to perform procedures through a single incision or natural orifice.
The surgeon using the system sits at a console in the operating theatre, viewing live 3D images of the patient’s anatomy.
Using hand and foot controls, they are able to use the camera system and miniature instruments inside the patient’s body, allowing accurate and precise surgical manoeuvres in narrow spaces.
This is Cromwell Hospital’s second da Vinci system, after installing the multiport da Vinci Xi system in 2021.
Surgeons have reported benefits for patients, including less pain, faster recovery time, less chance of scarring and tissue loss and less blood loss.
While other hospitals in the UK are already using the da Vinci SP for urology and head and neck procedures, Cromwell Hospital believe that it is the first to offer it to patients for gynaecology and HPB procedures.
Philip Luce, chief executive at Cromwell Hospital, said: “We are very proud to be the first hospital in the UK to perform gynaecology and HPB operations on the da Vinci SP as well as introducing it for urology surgery.
“It shows our commitment to innovation and making sure our patients have access to the very best care, equipment and treatment.”
In February 2025, it was revealed that more than 10,000 patients across Scotland have benefitted from da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery since 2021, following a major expansion of da Vinci surgical systems.
The Scottish government has invested in 12 additional da Vinci surgical systems since 2021, with the aims of reducing rates of open surgery, improving equity of access and outcomes for patients, and enhancing NHS productivity.
