19 May 2011 Last updated at 14:46 ET

Kent hospital unveils £1.5m 'robot surgeon'

The hospital trust expects to treat up to 200 men with prostate cancer with the Da Vinci robot.

A Kent hospital has spent £1.5m on a four-armed robot that helps surgeons operate with more precision.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said the Da Vinci robot, which is controlled remotely, was a "major advance".

The machine's arms rotate 360 degrees allowing surgeons more precision than they would have using their own hands.

The trust said it expected to treat about 200 men a year for prostate cancer using the robot.

Urology consultant Benjamin Eddy said: "This is a major advance in the treatment of men with prostate cancer.

"We are proud to have the first robot in the South East outside of London and can offer this service to all patients in Kent."

The machine will be officially unveiled at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital on Friday.