Dearby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have become the first hospital in the UK to introduce a multi Practico operating system for shoulder & upper limb surgery.

 The system substantially reduces the cost of surgery by reducing operating time and manpower requirements and more importantly improves patient safety.

Representatives of The Conquest League of Friends and of the League of Friends of Bexhill Hospital saw a demonstration of equipment they recently jointly purchased for the Operating Theatres at Conquest. The equipment, a Practico Orthopaedic operating table for use in shoulder operations and two Fibre Optic Intubation Scopes, cost £27,700.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Jamie Buchanan demonstrated the table for Conquest league vice chairman Margaret Moss and Treasurer Gordon Styles and Bexhill league president John Dowling and minutes secretary Ann Dowling.

He explained that shoulder fractures typical of the injuries suffered by older people in falls, posed difficulties. It was necessary to have access to both the front and back of the shoulder. Often in the past, arranging the theatre so that surgeon, anaesthetist and the rest of the team could work effectively took longer than the operation itself.

The new operating table was delivered in Janua... Read more