Surgical robots have been used to assist in surgery for several decades, but major advances in technology in recent years have completely transformed the way surgeons perform surgery, and how patients recover.
The use of surgical robotics allows surgeons to perform complex procedures with more control, precision and flexibility than ever before.
When we think of robots, we might imagine machines that have been developed to replace humans. In medicine, this isn’t the case. Robotic surgery doesn’t replace the role of the surgeon, it is a way of enhancing their skills. A surgeon controls the use of instruments using robotic arms, which are guided via a console. Four arms operate simultaneously, one with a camera, two acting as the surgeon’s hands and one to assist. The surgeon controls the procedure via a control system, using his hands and feet. This controls the robotic arms, which are attached to very precise instruments, allowing the automated surgery to operate through much smaller incisions. The camera provides a highly magnified image on a high-definition monitor, with a more detailed, 3D images than the naked eye could provide.
Systems such as the da Vinci Surgical System used at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi have revolutionized the use of robotic surgery. Surgeons can perform the most intricate and complex operations in minimally invasive ways. And when operations are less invasive, they have fewer complications associated with them.
Key benefits of robotic surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery: Robotic surgery involves the use of very small instruments, rather than a surgeon’s hands, to go inside the body. This means that incisions only need to be very small, less than a centimeter in most cases, and often referred to as ‘keyhole’. The use of a camera on one of the robotic arms allows the surgical robot to carefully navigate delicate blood vessels, reducing the risk of bleeding. In hard to access parts of the body, large incisions are traditionally needed so that the surgeon can assess the area, but robotic surgery allows to surgeon to navigate around obstacles clearly.
- Faster post-surgery recovery: When surgery is minimally invasive, the body can recover quicker. Large incisions take a lot longer to recover from as the body takes time to heal. Whilst every surgery, and everyone’s recovery time is different, patients who have had minimally invasive surgery can usually return home after several days, and shorter hospital stays are often associated with a speedier recovery. Smaller incisions also mean less trauma to the body, and much smaller scars that heal quickly.
- Less pain: Small incisions mean that there will be less pain and discomfort associated with surgery. As robot assisted surgery is also more precise thanks to better control systems, you are less likely to experience internal pain. This may result in reduced amounts of pain medication that need to be taken. The use of an internal camera and a high-definition view of the procedure mean that blood loss can be more easily avoided.
- Reduced infection risk: Infection is one of the biggest concerns for patients who have undergone surgery. When large parts of the body have been opened, the risk of infection is increased, and this can make recovery from surgery much slower and mean a much longer stay in hospital. As robotic surgery is minimally invasive, the risk of infection and all the associated complications are reduced.
- Better clinical outcomes: Robotic surgery can help reduce error during highly complex procedures, compared to traditional surgery. By providing the surgical team with better precision and a detailed view of the surgical area, the chance of damaging tissue is reduced and the surgery more likely to be a success.
Robotic surgery can be used for many surgical procedures, which would traditionally be major operations. This includes, heart, abdominal, bariatric (weight loss), colorectal, gynecological, and urological surgeries. While some patients may be a little apprehensive about the thought of a robot operating on them, remember that the surgeon is in control the entire time, with their movements translated to the more controlled movements of the robotic instruments. If you have surgery planned, talk to your doctor to see if robotic surgery could benefit you.