SURGEONS in Bradford are helping patients across the country by sharing their expertise in revolutionary robotic surgery techniques.

Hundreds of patients across the district have benefitted since Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) received its hand-operated £2 million Da Vinci Robot three years ago.

Now medics are training staff from hospitals across the country in how to use the machine so many more people can take advantage of it.

The system means people can avoid traditional invasive surgery, where they might have to be cut open, and get back to work within weeks as opposed to months.

Patients also only need to stay overnight after surgery, rather than spend five or six days recovering on a ward.

Prostrate operations alone have trebled since the BRI took delivery of the robot - jumping from 44 to 150 last year.

Urological cancer surgeon Sanjai Addla is leading the new training team at the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs BRI.

"Minimally invasive surgery using robots has become increasingly popular over recent years and we are delighted to help train neighbouring NHS colleagues who are coming on line with this innovative new procedure," said Mr Addla, who, with colleagues Rajinder Singh and Rohit Chahal, has carried out more than 430 procedures using the technology.

"For patients it is great news as we know that those undergoing robotic surgery for prostate cancer will benefit from speedier recovery times and, most importantly, improved cancer outcomes because the surgery is more precise," he added.

With robot-assisted surgery, the surgeon sits at console with a 3D view of the area of the body being operated on.

Computer technology translates the surgeon's hand movements into precise manoeuvres so the robot can make tiny keyhole incisions.

Bradford is the only centre in West Yorkshire offering robotic surgery for all three urological cancers of the prostate, bladder and kidneys.

Two charitable donations - of £200,000 from Sovereign Health Care and £600,000 from the Bradford Teaching Hospitals Charity - made the robot's arrival at BRI possible, with the NHS Foundation Trust investing the remaining £1.2m needed.

Mr Addla has already travelled to the Royal Blackburn Hospital in Lancashire where he spent five days training the surgical team, led by consultant urological surgeon Mohammed Masaarane, as well as anaesthetists and theatre staff.

The training involved the team using robotic surgery to carrying out prostatectomies, removing patients' prostate glands.

The Blackburn team has also spent time at BRI watching Mr Addla and his colleagues at work.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is the only other robotic training centre in the West Yorkshire region.