Robotic surgery, or robot-assisted surgery, allows doctors to perform many types of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control compared to the conventional techniques. Robotic surgery is usually associated with minimally invasive surgery - procedures performed through tiny incisions. It is also sometimes used in certain traditional open surgical procedures.
The first robot to assist in surgery was the Arthrobot, which was developed and used for the first time in Vancouver in 1985. This robot assisted in being able to manipulate and position the patient's leg on voice command Robotic surgery has been rapidly adopted by hospitals in the United States and Europe. The most widely used is the clinical robotic surgical system which includes a camera arm and mechanical arms with surgical instruments attached to them. The surgeon controls the arms while seated at a computer console near the operating table. The console gives the surgeon a high-definition, magnified, 3-D view of the surgical site. The surgeon leads the other team members who assist during the operation. Surgeons who use the robotic system find that for many procedures it enhances precision, flexibility and control during the operation and allows them to see the site better, compared to the traditional techniques. Using robotic surgery, surgeons can perform delicate and complex procedures that may have been difficult or impossible with other methods. Often, robotic surgery makes minimally invasive surgery possible. The benefits of minimally invasive surgery include:
● Fewer complications, such as surgical site infection
● Less pain and blood loss
● Quicker recovery
● Smaller, less noticeable scars
DISADVANTAGES OF ROBOTIC SURGERY
● It is very expensive
● The equipment takes a lot of space
● With robot-assisted surgery, there is not only the risk of human error when operating the robotic system, but also the potential for mechanical failure.
● The electrical current in the robotic instrument can leave the robotic arm and be misapplied to surrounding tissues, resulting in accidental burn injuries.
● Likewise, robot-assisted surgery can cause nerve palsies due to extreme Body positioning or direct nerve compression that may occur when using robots.
● It also takes longer to perform robotic surgery than non-robotic surgery.
REFERENCE:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/
https://orthofeed.com/2018/09/28/what-does-the-future-hold-for-robotic-surgery/
Author
D Sharanya, Field Application Specialist
MedCuore Medical Solutions Private Limited
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