A five-star experience

As leaders in the field of robotic surgical techniques, Charles Evans and Danilo Miskovic have helped countless patients in both their NHS and private practices. One such patient was a mother of three with a large hernia whose need to get back to her busy routine, meant that expert treatment and fast recovery were essential.

The patient first noticed a bulge in her lower abdomen when she stood up one day. Although she wasn’t in any pain, she was immediately concerned. “I didn't know what it could be,” she says. “I've had three children, so I know what shape my lower abdomen should be. There was something different.” After being diagnosed with a large hernia by the NHS at the end of 2021, she was facing a two-to-three year wait list for surgery – another unwelcome knock-on from the pandemic.

In the summer of 2022, she decided to use her work health insurance to seek a private consultation with Mr. Evans. “I wasn't referred for a private consultation, but I proposed one to speed up the process of getting back to normal. My insurer suggested I set up a private meeting with Mr Evans via his secretary,” she recalls.

Before long, the patient was in a consultation with Mr Evans, who used a CT scan to double-check the diagnosis and develop a plan there and then for surgery. He discussed the options available with the patient, using her medical history to inform his suggestion.

“Mr. Evans is very good – that's his craft,” the patient continues. “He assured me everything was going to be OK, and talked to me about a couple of options around the surgery. I've had three Caesarean sections, so he didn't want me to have another open surgery procedure.”

Mr Evans recommended using the da Vinci Surgical System. The combination of minimal risk, smaller incisions and a faster recovery time that robotically assisted surgery typically brings, were clear benefits in this particular case.

The patient’s preference for dates accommodated, surgery was scheduled for September 2022 at The Wellington Hospital, London, part of HCA Healthcare UK. Using the da Vinci robot arm, Mr Evans successfully repaired the hernia, using only four punctures in the skin. “I didn't have to deal with the recovery of open surgery on top of as recovering internally,” recalls the patient.

“My husband looked after the children while I was away,” she says. “Due to logistics and safekeeping, I stayed at The Wellington Hospital for two days. It meant that I could stay in a good place.”

After two days the patient was ready to return home and continue her recovery in more familiar surroundings. “It took about a week to go back to almost normal because of the pain associated with the corrective surgery. I wasn't back to doing normal duties at home – no heavy lifting, no driving,” she recalls.

Fortunately, because there was no open wound, the hernia started to repair immediately, and without complications. The patient gradually regained her strength and was able to return to her normal activities within four to six weeks of the surgery. “I was nervous as I hadn't been to hospital for a procedure before, apart from when I had my children,” she says. “It was arranged really quickly,” she continues, “You don't want to keep waiting for a procedure if you have a diagnosis. You want to recover and be back to normal as soon as possible.”

And thanks to Mr. Evans' expertise and the da Vinci Surgical System, that’s exactly what happened. Prompt, effective treatment, which allowed a return to her family and daily routine as quickly as possible. “Everything was great,” she says. “From the staff and the way they looked after me to the administration of medicine, the facilities, the food… it was a five-star experience.”