“Would you have surgery at the hands of a robot?” Well let me introduce the Robotic Surgery and have your answer after reading this.

WHAT is Robotic Surgery?

Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery meaning instead of operating on patients through large incisions, the use of miniaturized surgical instruments that fit through a series of quarter-inch incisions are needed. In terms of technological developments, robotic surgery is the use of robotic systems to aid in surgical procedure. So basically, “Robotic surgery is a method to perform surgery using very small tools attached to a robotic arm. The surgeon controls the robotic arm with the use of a computer.”

WHEN did it all started?

Before we get to the current development of robotic surgery, we first take a look on the origin of robots beginning with “the very word ‘robot’ which is from the check word robota meaning forced labor. Since that time, robots have developed from primitive machines that could perform a variety of menial tasks to today where they can perform very complex tasks. Robots are used in computers, in research, and in manufacturing.”

And now, robots have also taken part to the world of medicine. Industrial robots are now used for a variety of surgical techniques, are FDA approved, and are marketed. “Robots were first introduced in 1987 with the first laparoscopic surgery, a cholescystecotomy. Since then, numerous procedures have been performed laparoscopically as technology and the skills of the surgeons have developed. This surgery is known as minimally invasive as incisions are smaller, there is less risk of infection, hospital stays are shorter, and recuperation is reduced.” And because of the convenience these robots give us, the involvement of NASA and US army are unavoidable making their further studies about robots.

Not long after, Robotic surgery has been around in the early 2000s, but in certain surgical fields it's already overtaken traditional open surgery, making great changes in the world of surgery. Because of the after effects of using open surgery like having often big, ugly scars and long recovery times. Robotic surgery allows surgeons to perform complex surgical procedures using minimally invasive approach. It's also much more precise than even the most skilled doctor with the steadiest hand.

HOW to perform robotic surgery?

First the patient is given a general anesthesia for him/her to fell asleep and pain-free. The surgeon then sits at a computer station and directs the movements of a robot. So basically even though the robot is operating the surgery it’s still the human who directs the action. Then small surgical tools are attached to the robot's arms.

The surgeon makes small cuts to insert the instruments into the body.
A thin tube with a camera attached to the end of it (endoscope) allows the surgeon to view enlarged 3-D images of the body as the surgery is taking place.
The robot matches the doctor's hand movements to perform the procedure using the tiny instruments.