A One Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) machine, costing around £80,000, has been donated by the Friends of the Eastbourne Hospital to the Breast Unit at Eastbourne DGH.
Consultant Breast Surgeons and Peter Nash from the Eastbourne Hospital Friends (second right) with OSNA machine
The new machine analyses the armpit lymph nodes which are routinely taken as part of many breast cancer operations, whilst the operation is still taking place. This enables these results to be given to the patient straight after the operation enabling other treatments to be planned earlier if needed, relieving anxiety earlier and potentially avoiding the need for a second operation on the armpit.
Mr Ash Subramanian, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon and lead for the OSNA project said: “This new technology will revolutionise the way we are able to treat many of our patients with breast cancer and will greatly benefit them. We are very grateful to the Friends of the Eastbourne Hospital for funding this machine and their continued support.”
Peter Nash Chairman of the Friends of the Eastbourne Hospital said: “‘We are pleased to be able to fund this new machine which will be so beneficial to those undergoing breast surgery. Being able to let patients know a lot earlier about their condition reduces a lot of the anxiety as well as reducing the need for a second operation. We are only able to make this donation thanks to the generosity of local donors, bequests and the hard work of our members, so a big thank you to them all.”