Robot Assisted Surgery

Using robots to perform minimally invasive surgery has become more common in the last few years. This article from MSNBS talks about several hospitals in Memphis which together perform about 1000 robot assisted surgeries each year. The costs and benefits of using the robot for surgery depend on the type of surgery but in most cases the patent has a faster recovery time, less pain and a shorter stay in the hospital.  The monetary cost, as compared to conventional methods, varies with the type of surgery and is sometimes less expensive and other times more. A downside to using the robot is for many surgeries the procedure takes longer than when using conventional methods. There are some exceptions though like the example discussed in the article where the conventional method would have required cutting open the jaw in order the access the throat. Using the robot not only allowed for a faster procedure but it also eliminated the future problems some patients have with speaking or swallowing as a result of the jaw has been cut open.

The diagram below shows the da Vinci Surgical System which is a popular example of a robot surgical system.

Another issue with this method is the steep learning curve associated with operating the robot. The surgeon uses hand controls to operate the robot and a camera for feedback. The robot itself has three or four arms each with a tool on the end. The controls are such that the robot is basically following the movements of the surgeon (it’s not really making any decisions on its own) but remove any shakiness from the motion. This also creates the possibility of slowing down the motion if necessary to increase precision.

Although this technology is already doing a lot to help surgeons, like most robots it still has room for improvement. Currently it’s only practical for some surgeries and the availability is limited but someday robots may be common place in operating rooms.