Robotic surgery is the use of robots in performing surgery. Three major advances aided by surgical robots have been remote surgery, minimally invasive surgery and unmanned surgery. Some major advantages of robotic surgery are precision, miniaturization, smaller incisions, decreased blood loss, less pain, and quicker healing time. Further advantages are articulation beyond normal manipulation and three-dimensional magnification.

Some of the more common uses of surgery robotics are robotic Whipple surgery, robotic cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, gastrointestinal, gynecology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, radiosurgery, urology, etc. At an increasing rate, improvements in both the versatility and utility of robotics in surgery is one of the bright spots in the healthcare industry. Thank you for visiting and supporting SurgeryRobotics.com.          

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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.

Based on studies and the results over the past few years it is quite clear that robotic surgery has revolutionized prostatic surgery. Robotic surgery is one option when a man has prostate cancer. Prior to robots, the doctors would likely make a large incision and remove the prostate as best they could while possibly the nerves would be damaged and the man would lose sexual function. Having a robotic prostatectomy helps alleviate the chances of sexual dysfunction and other possible side effects of having a prostate removed due to the precision and the likely hood of avoiding the nerves during surgery. In one hospital just five years ago over eighty percent of the prostatectomies were open surgeries and less than ten percent done were done robotically. Today those figures have reversed.

By having a da Vinci prostatectomy there is much less blood loss, lower rate of complications, smaller incision, and greater precision. By having tiny incisions where the tools are inserted into the body, there is less blood loss and trauma. The light and camera add the benefit of being able to see within a fraction of a millimeter in the prostate area. It gives the surgeon much more precision when working around the delicate nerves of the prostate. As one of the options for prostate cancer treatments the robotic prostatectomy is revolutionizing 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.

Data gathering and subsequent planning

Before the patient undergoes surgery, a series of tests will be performed. During this pre-operative phase, several medical imagery techniques such as MRI, Ultrasonics and scanners will be applied to the patient so that the robot may detect, locate and model the anatomical entities involved in the surgical procedure. At the same time, the robot will create a mechanical model in its computer system based on the gathered results from the medical tests. This will be used to describe and simulate the surgical procedure, as well as discuss potential problems that may occur during the intervention.

Intra-operative assistance

The results obtained and the mechanical model created in the previous phase will then be used as a guide during the operation itself. The surgeon, as a result, can calibrate his techniques and decisions in accordance with the robot’s data. The robotic system is able to provide interactive assistance, as well as constrain the movements of the surgeon to allow better and more efficient precision during the surgery. In addition, supplementary 3D visuals of organs from tele-operated robots would allow speedier operations.

Post-operative patient control

The use of a robotic system allows complete recording of previous surgical procedures including crucial moments, for future reference. More importantly, the healing time of a patient that underwent surgery is significantly decreased when done or aided by a robotic system. For instance, in 2007, a surgical team led by Dr. Pier Giulianotti performed a liver resection, removing 60% of a patient’s liver with the use of a fully automated robotic system. To the surprise of many, the patient left the hospital just two days after the operation, in very good condition. The patient also stated that due to the four puncture holes rather than a scar brought about by the surgery, he was able to heal quicker and with less pain. GP

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.

The latest equipment provides magnetic suction and irrigation. During some procedures, there is no need for surgical nurses.

Reducing the number of people in the operating room is an advantage for the patient, too. There is less chance for human error. The smaller incisions reduce the risks of infection as well.

The insertion of catheters can be guided from a remote location. At least two procedures have been performed with the patient on one continent and the doctor on another.

The robots can be used in radiation therapy to prevent physician exposure to the radiation and reduce the amount of exposure to the patient. Oncology is one of the areas that has seen a great increase in robotic surgery, especially in gynecological oncology.

Cysts and tumors can be removed without a major abdominal incision. In some cases, no incision is needed. Similar techniques are being used for benign and malignant prostate surgeries.

Some software designers believe that fully autonomous robot surgeons could reduce the need for surgeons in a hospital. Thousands of similar operations can be stored in the robots database, making the robot, in some cases, more qualified to perform the procedure than a physician.

An administrator might, in the future, be able to reduce the number of surgeons employed by the hospital by as much as half. Not only because of the AI surgeons, but also because procedures can be performed faster. Reducing staff would be a big cost savings in terms of salaries and benefits paid.

Any hospital, clinic or doctor’s office could benefit from the latest imaging software. Diagnoses are made easier and more accurate. Procedures are completed faster. So, more procedures can be conducted in a single day.

Minimally invasive surgeries are the future. Any facility that does not invest in the future will soon be unable to compete. Advancements in robotic surgery will likely make malpractice rates go down, which will further reduce costs.

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.

Another major area where robots are highly used is for heart surgery. Although the technology for performing robotic heart surgery is expensive and difficult to find, the overall results being seen from the use of a robot during heart surgery are so great that we should see this technology become more accessible over the next several years. The use of a robot for heart surgery results in a less invasive procedure which in turn provides a quicker recovery time as well.

Hysterectomies are the second most common surgery that is performed each year. Hundreds of thousands of women require the removal of their uterus for a variety of reasons. Women might have this procedure due to uncontrollable bleeding or for cancer as well. More and more hysterectomies are being performed by the assistance of a robot. The use of a robot to perform a hysterectomy is highly beneficial to each patient. As with the prostatectomy and heart surgery, a hysterectomy performed by a robot also results in a less invasive procedure with shorter recovery times. Another benefit for most women is that they will also see less scarring as a result of the procedure. There are many hospitals in IL that provide this robotic procedure.

So if you find yourself needing a surgical procedure, perhaps you should discuss the options of a robotic surgery with your doctor. You should also keep in mind that not everybody is a candidate for robotic surgery and it may not be available in some areas. Robotic surgery is still generally new and will take several years for the procedures to catch on. Once the technology becomes more common and less expensive the surgeries should be available to just about anyone.