A new generation of robot technology enters the operating room to mimic human movements

The Financial Times published an article saying that the next generation of robotics is entering the operating room. The surgical equipment developed by Cambridge Medical Robotics in the United Kingdom has both "shoulders" and "elbows" and "wrists" that mimic the movements of human hands. According to the company, its equipment can help surgeons improve the accuracy of their surgery.

The next generation of robotics is entering the operating room, but practitioners emphasize that surgeons are still controlling the surgical procedure.

A new generation of robot technology enters the operating room to mimic human movements

Robotics that allow surgeons to perform remote surgery on the other side of the globe have not yet been realized. "This hasn't happened yet, one of the reasons is related to the speed of light," said Martin Frost, CEO of Cambridge Medical Robotics. "You can't transmit all the data you need quickly enough over a communications network. Give the doctor the feedback you need."

Although teleoperation has not yet been achieved, according to doctors, robotics is improving their work. “Your vision will get better and the operation will become more precise,” says urology consultant Maurice Lau.

Maurice Liu is a specialist in the Christie Clinic, the leading cancer center in the UK. He pointed out that "clinical evidence and our experience show that robotic technology helps reduce the likelihood of complications in patients and also reduces blood transfusion rates. Knowing that high blood costs are scarce resources." August, Christie Clinic From the market leader Intuitive Surgical, the latest robot technology – two da Vinci Si Surgical System robots – was purchased.

Cost problem

Although the reduction in blood transfusion rate can save costs, in addition to the configuration of the device itself, robotic surgery requires equipment maintenance and the use of disposable equipment, so the cost is higher than ordinary surgery. This means that its cost-benefit will depend on the realization of economies of scale.

Some agencies have estimated this. A study by the Health Technology Assessment Department of the National Institutes of Health found that a robotic system can perform at least 100 to 150 operations per year to offset the additional costs it incurs.

Forrester pointed out that to make this type of surgery cost-effective, the price of the equipment must be reduced. According to him, his company did this by implementing modularity in machine design and creating greater flexibility for the robotic arm.

A new generation of robot technology enters the operating room to mimic human movements

With laparoscopic or keyhole techniques, minimally invasive surgery has been available for a long time. However, surgeons say robotic surgery can improve a level of minimally invasive surgery.

Rakesh Suri, a heart surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, said traditional laparoscopic equipment lacks the kind of wrist-operated function that robotics can bring. "It's like eating with chopsticks instead of eating directly with your fingers. Think about what it would be like to peel shrimp with chopsticks."

A new generation of robot technology enters the operating room to mimic human movements

Of course, not all practitioners believe that robotic surgery is a panacea. Peter Dunn, a perioperative medical consultant at Massachusetts General Hospital, believes that the benefits of robotic surgery over patients are exaggerated compared to other technologies.

“Our robotic project usage is low because our doctors want to give each patient a personalized treatment, using only the right equipment or technology, not just using it for a certain device. ”

Doctors emphasize that robotic tools are machines that help doctors expand their capabilities and improve their precision. They are not a substitute for doctors. In fact, the term “robot” can be misleading when used in the surgical field. Rather than referring to automated devices in the field of automotive manufacturing, the term refers to the remote operation of robots in the surgical field.

Suri pointed out, "It just replaces the doctor's hand, but the robot replaces the human hand. Any of its actions are actually conceived and executed by doctors."

Training problem

Some operations will still require open surgery. Morris Liu used the procedure for removing large tumors as an example. "You don't have enough space in the abdomen to implement keyhole surgery. Due to physical limitations, there are always some operations that cannot be performed."

This will bring a problem to the training of doctors. In the past, all surgeons had experience with open surgery, but with the application of robotics, future surgeons may only be trained to operate laparoscopic or robotic devices.

This can cause problems when surgery needs to be converted to open surgery. "We are currently working to resolve this issue," Morris Liu said.

But Forrester believes that even if the training methods accepted by future surgeons have not yet been determined, the use of robotic surgery is bound to increase. He predicted that the use of such technology will increase tenfold in the next decade.

“Robot surgery will become commonplace,” he said.

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