Glasgow Children's Hospital Gets a Surgical Robot Just for Kids
The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow will use the Versius Plus robot only for paediatric patients, funded by a £1.5m charitable donation. It is believed to be a world first.
A hospital in Glasgow has become the first in the world to have a surgical robot used only for children. The Royal Hospital for Children will use the Versius Plus system, paid for by a charitable trust.
Why this counts as a first
Robots like this are not new in children's care. Some young patients elsewhere can be treated with them through shared systems or at larger adult hospitals. Glasgow is believed to be the first children's hospital anywhere to buy the system and keep it for young patients alone.
The UK first for a child using Versius came in 2024, after several operations on adults. At Glasgow, an evaluation phase was carried out, and surgeons performed more than 30 procedures with the robot.
Who paid
The Coldstones Charitable Trust pledged more than £1.5m to Hi Scotland, the innovation arm of the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity. The money funds the paediatric robotic surgery programme. The trust says it aims to back various charities financially.
Kirsten Watson, chief executive of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, said the donation is enabling something "genuinely pioneering for children's healthcare." She said paying for the Versius Plus system helps establish a world-first dedicated paediatric programme.
What surgeons expect from it
Keyhole surgery works through small openings. The robot gives surgeons greater access during those operations. It will be used for complex cancer, urology, abdominal, thoracic and gastrointestinal conditions.
Doctors at the hospital say it offers enhanced precision. They add that patients may feel less pain, have smaller scars and return to normal life sooner.
Plans to widen the service
Michael Jacovides is a consultant paediatric surgeon and the clinical lead for the robotic surgery programme. He said robotic assisted surgery will increasingly be part of caring for children and that he is excited it is already available to children in Glasgow.
The team is developing the service to cover more conditions and to reach more children and babies across Scotland. Jacovides credited the charity and the sponsor for the robot's presence. The hospital works with partners nationally and internationally, he said, so these technologies become more widely used.
Source: BBC News