Robo-surgery a highlight of cutting-edge event

Keyhole surgery carried out by a robot will be beamed live by satellite from a Cork hospital to one of the city’s top hotels — and viewed by an audience of hundreds.

The robotic hysterectomy — to be carried out by a multi-armed robot operating under the control of a consultant surgeon at Cork University Maternity Hospital — is one of several operations to be transmitted live from the operating theatres of two city hospitals into the Rochestown Park Hotel later this month.

The transmission takes place as part of the prestigious “Rise of the Machines” medical conference to be attended by 300 delegates and their partners from as far as Australia, the USA, and Greece, as well as Ireland and the UK.

The conference will not only showcase the most cutting-edge equipment and surgical techniques, but will represent an estimated €1m boost to the economy of Cork City.

Other operations to be filmed and transmitted live during the event, which is organised by the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, include a gastric bypass on an obese patient and colon cancer surgery, both from theatres within the Bon Secours Hospital.

This is the first time such an event has been held in Cork, and only the second time it has been in Ireland — a similar broadcast was carried out during a conference in Galway in 2005.

“This conference is for educating the surgeons of the future — Thursday will see the live operating demonstrations which has never been done before in Cork,” said Bon Secours laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon Colm O’Boyle, the local organiser of the conference.

The keyhole surgery will be performed by local and visiting experts including surgeons from Bon Secours, Mercy University Hospital and CUMH.

The conference will open on Nov 28 with a training day at the Bon Secours Hospital Cork. Day two will feature the surgery demonstrations, and the conference will close on Nov 30 with a scientific programme featuring presentations and lectures by visiting experts.

“This will be a fantastic learning opportunity for all attendees,” said Dr O’Boyle.

“It’s also a significant financial boost for the local economy as many of the delegates and their partners will spend a number of days here in Cork.”