Exciting changes have been brought about in the field of surgery through the collaborative efforts of minimally invasive techniques and specialised robots, marking significant advancements in this area.
These robots possess a unique ability to carry out surgeries using small incisions, improving precision for dissection, enhancing stability, better visualisation and magnification. This innovative surgical approach, facilitated by robots, is gaining prominence in the medical field.
It augments skilled surgeons with advanced technology, thereby enabling very complex procedures to be performed with superior clinical outcomes.
Advancements in Minimally Invasive Surgery Using Robotics
In recent years, the healthcare and medical field has witnessed significant progress, thanks to the innovative technology known as the Da Vinci Surgical System — a robot assisted minimally invasive technique.
This ground-breaking approach, by combining minimally invasive surgery with precise dissection, has significantly improved the surgical experience and postoperative outcomes- reducing trauma and expediting recovery, which is beneficial for both patients and healthcare providers.
The Da Vinci Surgical System stands out due to the use of slim robotic instruments for procedures through small incisions. This approach brings several benefits, including less pain, reduced bleeding, and faster healing, leading to shorter hospital stays and quicker patient recovery.
Da Vinci Surgical System
First introduced to the Singapore Healthcare market in 2002, the Da Vinci system is a highly utilised robotic platform during surgical procedures, particularly pelvic resections involving the rectum and/or prostate. Common surgical procedures that utilise the robotic platform include colorectal, urological and cardiothoracic surgeries.
Surgical Procedures Enhanced by the Da Vinci Surgical System
Robotic assistance is now used in a broad range of surgical procedures, including:
- Cardiothoracic surgery
- Colorectal surgery
- Urological surgery
Other fields such as gynaecology and head-and-neck surgery have also similarly adopted robotic platforms for minimally invasive procedures.
How does the Da Vinci Surgical System work?
Surgeons operate through a remote console that translates the surgeon’s hand movements during the procedure, not unlike video gameplay. Such movements allow more precise manoeuvres of the surgical instruments, giving the surgeon a highly magnified visualisation of the targeted anatomy through the screen while enhancing dexterity especially within small, confined areas in the body such as the pelvis.
For instance, when operating on the rectum in the pelvis, through the remote console, the surgeon has better fine control of the instruments, thus precise dissection can be achieved despite the narrow space, achieving better oncological outcomes and ensuring preservation of important structures such as the hypogastric nerves.
Thanks to the technological advancements in healthcare, surgeons can now perform minimally invasive surgeries with greater safety, effectiveness and precision with the help of robotic-assisted systems.
Disadvantages of the Da Vinci Surgical System:
In the field of surgery, precision is paramount. Although the Da Vinci surgical system helps surgeons achieve more precision, several disadvantages still come with the system. Some of such disadvantages include:
- Longer Surgery Time:
- Since the Da Vinci surgical system is a robotic-assisted technique, more surgical time is required to set up the robot.
- More Expensive
- Compared to an open surgery, the cost of utilising the robotic-assisted surgical system can be higher. However, as robot-assisted surgical practice becomes more common, surgical prices have become more cost-effective. Furthermore, medical insurance can aid in offsetting medical bills.
Thanks to the robot assisted system, surgeons can operate with more precision through minimally invasive procedures, making such procedures a reliable option. Furthermore, such advancements make surgeries less invasive and more precise.
Last Thoughts
Robots in surgery represent a significant advancement and helps overcome some of the challenges faced during the surgical procedure, resulting in quicker and safer surgeries. As specialists and robots cooperate more, surgical methods and procedures will continue to improve and evolve. Embracing such change is beneficial and promising news for patients who require more complex surgical procedures.
