Hospitals lack modern keyhole surgery equipment

Only one in 10 hospitals is fully equipped with the modern technology needed to carry out minimally-invasive keyhole surgery as safely and effectively as possible, according to a report by the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland.

The use of keyhole surgery is rapidly expanding because it leads to faster and less painful recovery by patients. It is now used for almost all abdominal and gastrointestinal operations. A tiny camera and specially designed instruments are inserted through a small opening in the abdomen, allowing the surgeon to carry out the procedure with fewer risks and complications than those involved in conventional open surgery.

But the survey by the surgeons' professional body has found that few hospitals have the best equipment and some are using old technology that may not be safe.

The Guardian