Robotic surgeries are surgeries done using robotic systems. Robotic surgery was developed to overcome the limitations of pre-existing minimally-invasive surgical procedures and to enhance the capabilities of surgeons performing open surgery. Allowing doctors to perform surgeries with more precision, flexibility and control than ever before, it is certain robotic surgery will completely transform the field of medicine. But how does it work and what are its implications?
To operate using the robotic system, the surgeon will make tiny incisions into the patient's body and insert miniaturised instruments and a three-dimensional camera. The surgeon will then manipulate the instruments to perform the operation from a nearby console. While concerns have been raised about robots performing surgery, they are not “smart” and can’t think for themselves. Hence the instruments will translate the surgeon’s movements into precise movements inside the patient's body and the surgeon will be in control the entire time.
The most widely known system today called the Da Vinci Surgical System is composed of 3 main parts: the master console, the electronic tower and the slave robot. The master console is simply a computer console in the operating room from which the surgeon controls the robot. The electronic tower holds the video and light, acting as a monitor for the assistant and the insufflator. The slave robot is positioned over the patient. Since being approved by the FDA in 2000, the da Vinci system has become the most widely used surgical robot.
There are countless benefits of robotic surgery. It allows more precise surgery, significantly less pain, reduced risk of infection and blood less, and better clinical outcomes. It also grants the surgeon an enhanced visual field of the operating area, dexterity and range of motion which far supersedes that of the human hand. Robotic surgery also enables enhanced access to hard to reach places, allowing more conditions to be treated.
However there are potent disadvantages hindering widespread adoption of robotic surgery. There is not only the risk of human error when operating, but also the potential for mechanical failure. Numerous things could go wrong such as the robotic arm, camera, or another instrument. It’s important that centers using robotic surgery should follow standardized training, improved reporting and enhanced patient education to reduce errors and guarantee safe and effective robot-assisted procedures.
Robotic surgery is already commonly used for prostatectomies, nephrectomies, and hysterectomies, and it's also being increasingly used for cardiac valve repair and other complex surgeries. The future of robotic surgery is probably the most remarkable thing about it. Doctors have long been anticipating the growth of tele-medicine and long-distance operations, where a doctor could operate on a patient in even a different continent, and with the rise of robotics, long distance surgery seems conceivable in the near future. This will change surgery forever.
https://www.businessinsider.com/the-future-of-robotic-surgery-2012-7?IR=T#:~:text=Now%2C%20the%20new%20high%2Dtech,using%20a%20minimally%20invasive%20approach.
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