If you have been told you need colorectal surgery, you are likely concerned about the recovery ahead — how much pain you will experience, how large the incisions will be, how long you will be off work, and how quickly you can return to normal life. These are all valid concerns, and the type of surgical approach used can make a significant difference in your recovery experience.

For decades, patients had limited options. Traditional open surgery, while effective, requires large incisions that result in more pain, longer hospital stays, and extended recovery periods. Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery was a major advancement — using small incisions and specialised instruments to perform operations with less trauma to the body. Many patients have had excellent results with standard laparoscopic techniques.

However, standard laparoscopic instruments have inherent mechanical limitations. Most are essentially modifications of scissors with long shafts. The tips can be changed to grasp tissue rather than cut it, but they rely on the principle of levers, which restricts their range of motion. For complex colorectal procedures that require precise dissection in tight spaces, these limitations can make certain manoeuvres more challenging.

This is where the robotic surgical platform offers a different approach. Although it may sound like science fiction, robotic surgery is a well established technique that uses sophisticated mechanical engineering to overcome the limitations of standard laparoscopic instruments. Instead of levers, the robotic platform uses the principle of pulleys, utilising multiple motors and cables to allow a much greater range of movement at the instrument tips. This effectively creates a mechanical version of the human wrist, offering multiple degrees of freedom that enable the tips to rotate and flex at various angles.

The result is significantly greater flexibility and dexterity, which translates to more refined handling of delicate tissue. This is particularly important in colorectal surgery, where preserving surrounding structures can impact outcomes. To achieve this, the instruments are controlled by a machine, known as the robot, while I make movements on a control console that the machine interprets — similar to the way a character is controlled in a video game using a gamepad.

I have trained extensively on the da Vinci Xi platform, which represents the current standard in robotic surgical technology. Despite these advantages, the robotic platform does have some limitations. The machine itself is quite large, which can make positioning in the operating theatre cumbersome. Advanced technology also results in higher costs for procedures. For these reasons, it is important to be selective about which cases will benefit most from the robotic approach.

For appropriately selected patients, robotic surgery can mean smaller incisions, less post operative pain, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal activities. During your consultation, we can discuss whether robotic surgery is the right choice for your specific condition and circumstances.

If you would like to discuss your condition and understand which surgical approach is most appropriate for you, please contact our clinic to arrange a consultation.