Understanding Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is simply surgery that is performed on a patient by a robot. The robot does not work on its own. A surgeon controls its actions via a computer. This type of surgery is minimally invasive which means that the incisions made are not large. This is because the robot uses miniaturized surgical instruments that are fitted through a series of quarter-inch incisions.

The tiny instruments are mounted on three separate robotic arms thereby giving the surgeon free range of movement and precision. The robot has a high-definition 3D which is magnified. This camera guides the surgeon throughout the procedure.

How does the surgeon control the robot?

As mentioned earlier, the surgeon is in charge of the activities going on in the operating room. He or she controls the instruments plus the camera from a console which is placed in the operating theatre by placing their fingers on into the master controls. They are then able to work all four robotic arms at the same time while peering through a stereoscopic high-definition monitor. This monitor takes the surgeon to the innards of the patient where he/ she is able to have a detailed 3D vision of the site being operated on.

Every movement made by any robotic arm is controlled by the surgeon who must ensure that the robot gets to the precise site to be operated on. The movements the surgeon makes with the master control are replicated by the robot with precision. The surgeon can even change the scale of the robots movements whenever necessary. The surgeon’s hands and eyes are perfectly aligned with the view of the surgical site which greatly reduces fatigue.

The surgeon ultimately has utmost control of the whole procedure. With this technology, surgeons are able to perform complex gynecological, urological and cardiothoracic as well as other general surgical procedures. The beauty of it is, they do not even have to be physically present to perform the surgical procedures.

These robotic surgeries come with benefits for the patients especially because the incisions are quite small in comparison to open surgery. These benefits include the following:

• There is less trauma to the body
• Less scarring
• Faster recovery time
• Less chances of error
• A shorter stay in the hospital
• Reduced risk of infection since the incisions are smaller
• Less blood loss and reduced chances of transfusions

Surgeons also enjoy certain advantages with robotic surgery. For one, they do not have to be physically present to perform the operation, which means more lives are saved. Many sensitive operations are usually a matter of urgency and rushing from one hospital to another can be the difference between life and death to a patient. Some of the advantages surgeons enjoy include:

• Greater precision
• Enhanced visualization
• Greater dexterity

What happens during the surgery?

Compared to open surgery, there is less pain and less scarring to deal with since the incisions are much smaller. Surgical robots are self-powered and can be programmed to assist in the placement and manipulation of surgical instruments. This means that your surgeon has the best in terms of vision, accuracy, flexibility and control.

This is what happens during the operation:

• The surgeon controls the whole procedure via a console which is placed in the operating theatre. He does this by controlling tiny instruments which are attached to robotic arms which will maneuver the instruments onto the site to be operated on.
• The surgeon looks through the 3E camera which is attached to yet another robotic arm to see into the patient’s innards right to the operation site. The camera magnifies the operation site.
• Movements of the surgeon’s hands, wrists and fingers are transmitted to the instruments attached to the robotic arms which are then replicated on the operating site. The instruments move with the precision of the surgeon’s movements and he has complete control.

To conclude, there is a surgical team present in the operating theatre right by the patient’s bedside. You or your loved one will not be alone.