Prince William joked he could tell surgeons must have played on PlayStations because they handled a new robot machine so well during an operation.
The 35-year-old royal donned scrubs for a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, west London, yesterday (10.01.18), where he compared the new state-of-the-art technology to the popular console.
Speaking to cancer patient Joe Omar, he said: "You can see all the doctors have done PlayStation. They let me watch but not to have a go."
William watched on as patient Anne White had a tumour cut away from her tongue by surgeons using the new minimally invasive Da Vinci robot machine, which uses heat rather than a blade to perform surgery.
The operation took just two hours as opposed to the 12-hour treatment which would’ve been required beforehand.
The prince was allowed to make virtual incisions on screen and move the markers for the robot’s arms.
He said: "It’s fascinating watching the robot work – it’s just so precise. I’m really impressed.
"You’re literally going right into the tumour so you see exactly with precision where the tumour is – it’s incredible – I was really, really impressed with it."
William also visited the Burdett Coutts ward, where he met a patient who is recovering from robotic surgery, and another who is a former member of Royal Marsden staff.
The Duke of Cambridge’s late mother Princess Diana – who passed away in 1997 aged just 36 – attended her first solo royal engagement at The Royal Marsden Hospital, where she watched surgery being performed in 1982.
Prince William compares hospital robot to PlayStation
