Wickens underwent robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in December with the assistance of a surgical robot at St George’s.
Robotic-assisted surgery is less invasive as well as more precise, and results in fewer patient complications, lower re-admission rates and shorter stays in hospital, a spokesperson for St George’s says.
Dr Richard Jennings, group chief medical officer for St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group, said: “Paul is one of many patients we expect to treat with robotic-assisted surgery in the coming years, in a major step forward for our hospitals.”
More patients like Wickens across Surrey and London will benefit from the new surgical system which is now at Epsom Hospital, part funded by Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity (ESHHC), enabling surgeons to carry out more life-saving procedures on hundreds of patients every year. the hospital says.