Introduction
The world of medicine has been transformed in recent years by the advent of robotic surgery, a process that allows doctors to perform operations more precisely than ever before. In this article, Dr Scott Kamelle will take a look at how robotics have changed modern medicine, why they’re so useful, and what their future may hold for us all.
A Brief History of Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery. It was first introduced in the 1990’s, and since then has become increasingly popular as an alternative to conventional open surgeries. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures are now used for many different types of surgeries, including prostatectomies, hysterectomies, heart valve replacements and coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG).
While there are multiple robotic systems available on the market today–and they vary greatly in terms of capabilities–they all share one common feature: they allow surgeons to perform operations remotely using computerized control systems rather than manual tools like forceps or scalpels.
The Benefits of Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive alternative to traditional open surgery. A surgeon sits at a console and uses robotic arms to perform the operation, which means that you don’t have to undergo general anesthesia or have large incisions made. This has several benefits:
- Increased accuracy: The robot’s small size enables it to reach places in your body that would be difficult for human hands (or even tools) to access without causing damage or injury. The increased precision also reduces the risk of infection or other complications from improperly placed stitches or sutures during traditional procedures.* Minimized risk of infection: The sterile environment within which these procedures take place helps minimize the risk of infections occurring post-surgery.* Reduced blood loss: Robotic surgeries typically involve smaller incisions than those required by traditional methods, which means less bleeding during and after surgery.*
Robotics Are Not Just for Surgeons Anymore
Robotic-assisted surgery is now used by a variety of medical professionals, including surgeons, doctors and nurses. The technology has advanced to the point where robotics are now being used in many different parts of the body to treat a variety of conditions.
Robotic-assisted surgery can be performed on patients who would otherwise be too small or weak for traditional open procedures, such as children or elderly people. In addition, because it requires less cutting into tissue than traditional methods do (which means less blood loss), robotic-assisted procedures often result in fewer complications than standard surgeries do–and they take less time overall!
The Future of Robotics-Enhanced Surgery
As you can see, robotic surgery is used for a variety of procedures and can be an excellent alternative to traditional surgery. For example, it has been shown that robotic prostatectomies are associated with lower rates of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction compared to open prostatectomies.
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy has also been shown to be more cost effective than open hysterectomy in women who have had at least one child without any history of cesarean section delivery or uterine prolapse (a condition where the uterus drops down into the vagina).
Conclusion
We’re just getting started with robotics in surgery, but it’s clear that these machines are going to play an important role in the future of medicine. They have already proven their worth by making complex operations easier and faster for surgeons–and now we’re seeing them being used for things like robotically assisted surgery (RAS) and robotic dentistry as well