Robotic surgeries

Robots have been extensively used in all sectors and especially when it comes to the health sector, they have been widely helpful. It is interesting that sometimes the best form of surgeries performed are aided by robots too. In a recent review the robot-assisted surgeries have greater advantage than the other approaches. 

There were four studies which showcased the benefit of robotic surgery and while other forty-six studies showed no difference at all. Robotic surgery doesn't mean robots operating the patient but rather the robot is going to assist the surgeon in the surgery process. The surgeon controls the machine’s tools remotely using joysticks and foot controls while viewing the surgical sites in the high definition monitor. 

And some of the surgeons also say that these kinds of robots allow more precision while operating, help recovery faster and yield better clinical outcomes for patients. For several reasons, at times the robot-assisted surgeries might also not work as the surgeon must switch to perform an open operation. While in the gynecologic and urologic surgeries there was no difference between the robot-assisted operations and laparoscopies in the operations that had been stitching to open procedures. 

The robot-assisted surgeries take a lot more time than the normal ones. The studies of gynecological robotic surgeries duration usually ranges as highest with 265 minutes while with the laparoscopy just took 226 minutes and 187 minutes for open procedures. 

Dr. Naila H. Dhanani, a surgical resident at UT Health in Houston said that there is no reason to choose robotic surgery over the other modes for a patient. “Just because something’s new and fancy doesn’t mean it’s the better technique. Robotic-assisted surgeries are safe and proven but they haven't proven to be better yet”, she added. 

Though robot-assisted surgeries have practical benefits for the surgeon, since the operation lasts long the surgeon has to remain his/her hand standing, twisting, bending, and turning the tools in the right direction which is not the case with the robotic procedure. 

“There is this ergonomic advantage. We move the arms of the robot while sitting comfortably. I have one surgeon who told me it will extend his career by a decade”, said Dr. Gerard M. Doherty, surgeon-in-chief at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. 

But the robot-assisted surgeries are more costly than the other methods. The average cost of the robotic setup is about US $2million. And also because of this factor robots cannot be involved in all the surgeries taking place.