Advantages and Disadvantages of Robotic Surgery

A major political and economic issue that is closely tied with robotics in surgery and healthcare is the rising costs of healthcare. Ethically it is in the best interest of the technical and medical communities to provide services to customers and patients at a fair and balanced price. On average robotic surgical systems cost

This article is good and interesting because it talks about what surgeons go through to become proficient in using surgical robotics. The surgeons and the nurses have to learn to use visual cues when performing these surgeries since they do not have any tactile sensations. In the training it is all team oriented just like it would be in real surgeries.

Al). This includes the increase in dexterity, the restore of proper hand-eye coordination, and improvement of visualization (Meyers et al.). In Cameron Scott’s article from the Healthline News, “Is da Vinci Robotic Surgery a Revolution or a Ripoff?,” he states that robotic devices including the da Vinci surgical device succeeds well in urology and the removal of prostate. Prostate removal is extremely difficult for open surgery practice, however the da Vinci made is easier with about 90 percent of these kinds of surgeries are now done robotically (Scott). Some evidence even suggest that with robotics used in prostatectomy, there is less blood loss, faster recovery, and fewer internal scarring (Scott.). There are many other examples from hospitals and manufactures that support the uses of robotic surgery and its benefits. However, even though these new technologies of robotic devices are supposedly be helping patients and making surgeries less invasive, they are still many concerns of how they should be properly regulated.

robotic assisted surgery, and research. McLaren was the first hospital in the area to perform a

Imagine a place where robots can not only decrease mistakes, but it can also save many lives during dangerous and high risk surgeries. I have had friends and family have these procedures done, and it was helpful and successful. Telerobotic surgeries are helpful, it prevents less to no mistakes, less deaths, and makes procedures easier.

Nurses and other health care providers have to be able to provide the proper education about robotic surgery for their patients, so it is essential that they know all aspects about this technology.

As technology improves, surgical robots are rapidly gaining support among both doctors and patients across America. Today more than 900 hospitals have the da Vinci robot which is double the number in 2007. (Freyer, 2010) Da Vinci robots were first approved by the FDA in 2000 for prostate removal, but now da Vinci robots are used for a variety of other surgical procedures (Freyer, 2010). Robot assisted surgery offers advantages such as smaller incisions, reduced blood loss, less pain and faster healing time (Vijay, 2010), as well as making surgery less demanding for the surgeon. Robotic surgery involves many obvious advantages but the impact of cost, access, and quality must

robot assistance. If robotic device can be used in surgeries to improve the outcome of surgeries

The use of robotics is growing every day. With that growth come the multiple types of procedures that can be performed using Robotic-Assisted Surgery. Robotic surgery, while being used worldwide, is most commonly done in the United States, with a total of 367,000 procedures being performed in 2012 alone,

Robot assisted surgeries are surgical procedures which utilize a robotic system controlled by a physician or a surgeon (via a computer). The robotic system is equipped with a camera to help the operator see the organ being operated upon. These systems are known for their precision, accuracy, delicacy, and overall efficient controlling options. [3] Since their invention, they have been, and currently are used in urological, neurological, endoscopic, cardiovascular, and gynecological surgeries. Robot assisted surgeries have been in practice since 1990 after the approval of the technology by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although the history of Robot assisted surgery dates back to 1985 when it was first used to perform a neurological biopsy. [1]

This robotic device can be used for several different surgical procedures ranging from gynecology surgeries to cancer procedures. Three components comprise the da Vinci surgery system: a high definition 3 dimensional vision system, a surgeon console and a patient cart. The patient cart contains four interactive robotic arms that are controlled by the surgeon during surgery. The robotic arms each hold the surgical instruments needed to perform the surgery. One of the robotic arms also holds a camera so the surgeon can view the surgical area he needs to perform on. While seated at the surgeon console, the da Vinci surgeon views the patient and the surgical field through a remarkable clear 3 dimensional screen. Forceps controls are also provided for the surgeon to manipulate the four interactive robotic arms. Each surgical instrument copies the surgeon’s movement to perform the surgery.

The 21st century can rightfully be considered as the era of technology when the new inventions and discoveries will most likely affect all the segments of human life. At this point, some of the breakthrough inventions of our times have been in the medical field. Robotic surgery has become an almost common practice in the advanced medical world and new uses for robotic assisted surgery are everyday set in place. However, such developments also attract different interests and implications.

The Da Vinci Surgical System is a large purpose-built robot controlled by a surgeon that performs minimally invasive surgical procedures on patients. The system incorporates an ergonomically designed surgeon's console, a patient-side module with four interactive robotic arms, each with interchangeable surgical instruments and a 3-dimensional endoscopic vision system. Powered by high-tech supercomputers, the surgeon's hand movements are scaled, filtered and then converted into precise movements of the surgical attachments. The designers of the system are a team of doctors, engineers and biomedical engineers at a company called Intuitive Surgical.

Technology is transforming the medical field with the design of robotic devices and multifaceted imaging. Even though these developments have made operations much less invasive, robotic systems have their own disadvantages that prevent them from replacing surgeons all together. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) is a broad notion encompassing a lot of common procedures that existed prior to the introduction of robots. It refers to general procedures that keep away from long cuts by entering the body through small, usually about 1cm, entry incisions, through which surgeons use long-handled instruments to operate on tissue inside the body. Such operations are directed by viewing equipment and, therefore, do not automatically need the use of a robot. Yet, it is not incorrect to say that computer-assisted and robotic surgeries are categories that fall under minimally invasive surgery (Robotic Surgery, n.d.).

The beginning use of surgical robots within medical setting benefits the surgeon as well as the patient; it gives the da Vinci Surgical System a bright future within today’s society.