Warwick Hospital
Launch of multi-million pound theatres

Buy photos » At the touch of a button - Warwick Hospital consultant surgeons Martin Osborne (right) and Mike Stellakis, with the touch screen monitors in the multi-million pound theatre. (s)

WARWICK Hospital is about to launch its new £4 million state-of-the-art theatres – including the very first one of its kind in the Midlands.

The project, described as the most ambitious and complex ever undertaken by the trust, has been six months in the making and years in the planning.

The Lakin Road hospital's five main theatres, which were all about 20 years old, were closed at the same time – with temporary theatres in their place safely operating on more than 2,000 patients – as the refurbishment work was carried out.

One of those re-opening at the start of January will now boast the region’s first integrated theatre which has advanced laparoscopic – or 'keyhole' – technology, placing the trust at the forefront of surgical advances.

The theatre will enable surgeons to control all of equipment from a one-touch screen monitor, with the ability to pre-set the equipment meaning more patients can be treated quicker.

It also has all of its equipment suspended from the ceiling, doing away with the many wires often covering floors in the past and creating potential hazards.

Trust chief executive Glen Burley said: “The upgrade of the theatres is an exciting time for the trust.

“The features will offer significant benefits to our patients and ensure our teams can perform with the best technology.”

The theatre will offer opportunities to perform more advanced gynaecological laparoscopic operations and non-cancer bowel work. Such surgery is minimally invasive, where a surgeon does not have to make large incisions, cutting down on pain and recovery times.

The operations are also filmed by a high definition camera used to transmit pictures of the patient’s internal organs to assist the surgeon performing the operation.

It can also be transmitted live to universities and other training facilities around the country, boosting training.

Hospital consultant surgeon Mike Stellakis said: “I have been here six years and have always called for this. Obviously the trust wasn't in the financial position then but it now is, which is another indication of the huge strides being made here.

"The new theatre will allow the hospital to perform more of the advanced laparoscopic operations than we already do.

“We will now have the ability to become a leading training institute to train other surgeons from around the country in these advanced keyhole techniques."