Many of you now understand Minimally Invasive Surgery, in which the surgeon operates inside the abdomen via tiny keyholes, assisted by a video camera. The technique requires surgeons to train hard and learn new skills. It is limited by 2D vision and restriction of hand movements.
Slowly and steadily, the robot is entering the minimally invasive surgery arena. One such system today is the Da Vinci Surgical System. Here the surgeon sits on a console after placing all the ports (key hole) with instruments on the patient’s abdomen. The operation is performed via the console, with the surgeon controlling the robotic arms.
This technique has several advantages:
- The surgeon operates in his/her most comfortable position
- Enjoys 10x magnification with 3D HD vision
- Uses a special technology called EndoWrist which enables the surgeon to move the instruments with 7 degrees of freedom, 180 degrees of articulation and 540 degrees of rotation.
- The robot removes the surgeon’s hand tremor, making finer dissection easier.
Yes, it is expensive today (in 2014) but with technology further improving and wider adoption, it’s only a matter of time before the robot finds its place in every surgeon’s hand to improve outcomes in patient care. The future of minimally invasive surgery is in safe, robotic hands.