Robotic Surgery

Benefits of robotic surgery

• The fact that a surgeon will be able to manipulate the robot from a centralized distance means that         the surgery can be performed in a less restrictive manner. This means that the patient can be      treated and operated on with a minimum of staff which in turn, reduces costs.
• The fact that surgeons can perform surgery from a distance also benefits the quality of healthcare for    the patient as they are able to enjoy the reduction in the costs, as well as a greater degree of            flexibility in regard to the areas they are can be treated.
• Doctors will tire and become fatigued, which in turn, reduces their concentration and ability to focus. A   surgeon who has been working for several hours without a break will find that he will struggle to hold    the scalpel steady and so this places considerable strain on the operating surgeon. With robotic    surgery this concern is reduced, even eliminated.
• Robotic surgery will allow for a much greater degree of precision and accuracy to be achieved    whenever certain types of surgical procedures are being used, such as orthopedic surgery, or  neurological.

Disadvantages of robotic surgery

• Currently, the major limiting factor that is stunting the development of robotic surgery is that of “latency” which is the time delay between the instructions issued by the surgeon and the movement of the robot which responds to the instructions. With the current level of technology, the surgeon must be in close proximity.
• Robotic technology is extremely expensive both in terms of capital costs, as well as running expenses and will require the training of specialized personnel to properly repair and care for it. Such expenses may far outweigh any savings earned at the present time.