Is Robotic Surgery Right For You?
By Alice Lane
Robotic surgery sounds like something out of Star Wars or even more futuristic than that. How can a robot perform surgery on a person? How does it know what to do? Everybody is different so the robot surely can’t be programmed to think it’s looking for the same size organ in the exact same spot on a person five feet tall versus six feet tall. It sounds very confusing and a little intimidating but in reality it is pretty simple. The robot doesn’t perform the surgery, a doctor does while the doctor controls the robot while performing the surgery. The benefit of using a robot is the precision it offers the doctor versus using his or her hands. This is not to say that a surgeon can’t be as good as a robot but it is more likely that the robot and its tools offer a surgeon a precise method that quite possibly is better than what is called open surgery. It’s not just the robot that is the benefit; along with the robot there are also other tools including lights and cameras to aid in the surgery while using the robot.
A Closer Look at the Benefits of Robotic Surgery
Quite simply, robotic surgery is the use of robots in performing surgical procedures. Today, doctors all over the world are starting to learn to use sophisticated robots to perform or aid in performing surgical procedures on patients because of better accuracy, miniaturization, and incisions. As a result, patients may benefit due to less pain, decreased blood loss and quicker healing time. The computer technology in robots can also facilitate doctors by allowing immediate research, necessary information gathering from its database, and video call to other doctors, if needed.
While robots have a natural advantage of better precision and data gathering, surgeons are still needed for their intelligence and ability to make complex decisions. Hence, surgeries cannot be done by a robot alone. There are three kinds of robotic surgery systems based on the robot’s level of involvement; telesurgical systems, supervisory controlled systems, and shared control systems. On one end of the spectrum, robots perform surgical procedures and techniques without any direct involvement from the surgeon. On the other end, it is the surgeon who performs most of the surgical procedure with the assistance of a robot either physically or through the robot’s computer system. Further, there are also three main steps that can be pointed out in a general robotic surgery intervention: data gathering and subsequent planning, intra-operative assistance, and post-operative patient control.
Robotic Surgery Improves Recovery Time and Reduces Costs
By Tom Gruich
Robotic surgery and robot-assisted surgeries are being performed throughout the world to improve surgical outcomes and patient recovery time, as well as to reduce scarring and loss of blood. Advanced software collects data for the physician to review, including imagery of the interior organs. At some point, not too far in the future, these advancements should replace the need for exploratory surgery.
For the hospital, the idea of implementing the latest technological advancements may seem expensive. But, in the long run, the use of robotic surgery and imaging software saves the hospital money, if only because a smaller surgical team is needed.
Robotic Surgery is the Future of Health Care
By Alice Lane
In today’s world of advanced technology, we are finally making huge strides when it comes to the medical field. The latest and most innovative technology that is found in the medical field today is simply put: robots. More and more are we seeing robots that are assisting the surgeon in the operating room. These robots will help many patients throughout the years, especially as the technology is perfected and upgraded.
Imagine that you have just discovered that you have prostate cancer. The mere thought of having this disease is daunting, let alone having to face a surgery as well. If you find yourself having to have all or part of your prostate removed the doctor will probably recommend that you have a robotic prostatectomy. This procedure will drastically reduce the amount of recovery time that is usually associated with any surgery involving the prostate.
What Are the Types of Robotic Surgery?
By Mike Selvon
Medical robotics is the future of science. Though one Da Vinci surgical robot costs roughly $1.7 million, surgeons who have used it say it is both remarkable and revolutionary. “I do a lot of gallbladder surgery,” explains Dr. Glen Gibson of Annapolis General Hospital. “Operating on livers, stomachs and colons used to be stem-to-stern incisions; I have had to take out (only) one gallbladder by traditional surgery in the last three years.” Robotic surgery promises quicker recovery times, less pain medication and fewer incisions, he adds.
Currently there are three types of robotic surgery systems: Supervisory-Controlled systems, Telesurgical systems and Shared-Control systems. Supervisory-Controlled systems (a.k.a. Computer Assisted Surgery) are the most automated of the three. The surgeon undertakes considerable prep work, inputs data into the robotic system, plans the course of action, takes x-rays, tests the robot’s motions, places the robot in the appropriate start position and oversees the robotic action to ensure everything goes as planned. The most famous prototype is the RoboDoc system developed by Integrated Surgical Systems, which is commonly used in orthopedic surgeries.
