CMR Surgical marks 5,000th operation with Versius as progress is made on its new Ely manufacturing site
CMR Surgical has celebrated another milestone after the 5,000th operation was completed with its Versius robot.
The landmark procedure was performed in France, at Argenteuil Hospital, a public health centre in Paris, where Dr Patrick Bagan and his team carried out a successful lung bisegmentectomy for cancer.
Dr Bagan, a thoracic and vascular surgeon and head of department, said: “I’m honoured to reach this significant milestone with our partners CMR and the Versius system. I’m delighted to report that this complex procedure went as planned and the patient is recovering well.
“In thoracic surgery, Versius has transformed how we treat lung cancer at Argenteuil and patients are seeing the benefits.
“We have two Versius surgical robots here and we routinely complete many successful cases every week. Because it is small and modular, we can easily move the systems around the hospital and we regularly have two Versius procedures in different surgical specialties happening simultaneously.”
Now in use across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Latin America, the surgical robot designed and built in the Cambridge area has been used across a range of specialties including gynaecology, colorectal surgery, thoracic surgery, general surgery and urology. From hernia repairs and hysterectomies to radical prostatectomies and lower anterior resections, it has been proven to offer patients quicker recovery times and better outcomes.
The global roll-out has prompted the Impington-headquartered company to build a new 75,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Ely.
Principal contractor Clegg Group pledged this week that the construction will be completed by the end of 2022.
The design incorporates sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting and PV arrays, and its completion is expected to lead to the creation of more than 200 jobs in the coming years.
Oliver Jenkins, business development manager at Clegg Group, said: “We’re delighted to be working on this exciting new facility for CMR, supporting the firm as it accelerates its commercial scale-up. Robotic surgery is the future of healthcare, and this new high-tech facility will enable CMR to meet global demands.
“We’ve recently completed several facilities that combine cutting-edge technology with a forward-thinking facility, particularly within the aerospace and defence sector, so we’re looking forward to implementing our experience and expertise.
“CMR are passionate about delivering a building that fulfils commitments to delivering sustainability and environmental performance, enhance well-being of staff and help protect natural resources. Innovation is at the heart of this project, and we’re delighted to be on board.”
Barrington D’Arcy, chief operations officer of CMR Surgical, said: “Establishing a world-class manufacturing facility to meet worldwide demand was a logical step forward for CMR. Connecting in proximity our skilled workforce from manufacturing, R&D, supply and other important functions means that we can bring together the strongest talent to deliver the commercial production upscale for Versius.”
