Robotic surgery

Robotic surgery is the use of computer technologies working in conjunction with robot systems to perform medical procedures. The technology is also known as computer-aided surgery and robot-assisted surgery.

Because robotic surgery requires very small incisions, appropriately selected patients can benefit from less surgical trauma, minimal scarring, and faster recovery times than with traditional open surgery.

Potential benefits of robotic surgery,

the system’s two high-definition cameras provide the surgeon with a magnified view of the surgical site, combing very accurate depth perception with a 40 percent sharper image than previous systems

an additional arm can be used to hold a retractor or other surgical instrument, giving the surgeon more operating capability

instant image referencing lets the surgeon display diagnostic images, such as ultrasound or CT scan images of the area taken prior to surgery, on the da Vinci Si/Xi® monitor, alongside the surgeon’s view of the surgery being performed

enhanced near-infrared imaging can be used during surgery to distinguish abnormal tissue from normal tissue and evaluate blood flow in real time

extra mobile “wrist action,” with mechanical wrists that can hold an array of specialized surgical instruments and function like a human’s, but with an even greater range of motion

scalability that allows the surgeon to calibrate the robot’s arm to move a fraction of an inch for every inch the surgeon’s hand moves, a feature that simplifies the most complex movements, including delicate removals as well as suturing and knot-tying