Robotic Surgery: Procedure, Risks, and Patient Benefits
If you are having robotic surgery, this means that the surgeon uses a robot to perform your operation. It boasts a robotic arm for using precise miniaturized surgical instruments. These controllers allow your surgeon to manipulate the robotic arm while viewing a screen. Your surgeon is not replaced by robotic surgery. It is one of the only a few things they do.
Overview of Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery is a type of procedure that healthcare providers use for minimally invasive surgeries.
- The technology itself breaks down into three main components
- Small robotic arms with instruments on them.
- A high-definition camera that produces better, zoomed-in 3D images of the operating field.
The machine will be controlled by your surgeon from a surgical console, and he(the surgeon) even controls all the movements of the camera. An arcade game sticks for controls.
Your surgeon won't be replaced with a robot. Instead, it will assist them in making more precise movements during the surgery. This is just one of the other techniques they use in doing the procedures. Studies show that robotic surgery is no better than laparoscopic surgery
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Get A Second OpinionDo surgeons need specialized training to do robot-assisted surgery?
Robotic assistance requires additional, specialized training for surgeons. A few surgeons dedicate their entire careers to formal training, which includes a 1-2 year minimally invasive and robotic surgery fellowship.
Robot-assisted surgery is performed by many experienced doctors like;
- General surgeons.
- Brain and spinal surgeons.
- Cardiothoracic surgeons.
- Colorectal surgeons.
- Gastrointestinal surgeons.
- Gynecologic surgeons.
- Urologists.
The following are the main types of robot-assisted surgeries:
- Appendectomy.
- Colectomy.
- Gallbladder removal.
- Gastric bypass.
- Hernia repair.
- Hysterectomy.
- Mitral valve repair.
- Pancreatectomy.
Procedure Details
While robotic surgery uses similar technique to traditional open surgery The difference is primarily in the method your surgeon uses to get into the surgical area.
Instead of 1 large cut, your surgeon makes a few small cuts. Another distinction is that the surgical instrument needs small space for its work. Additionally, it helps to avoid the unnecessary movement of tissue, muscle and organs.
What to Expect From the Procedure During robotic surgery, your surgeon will:
- Create a few small cuts.
- These incisions are used to put the ports (small tubes). These ports will act as temporary tunnels through which the surgical instruments are passed.
- Dock the robot into the ports and arm it with instruments.
- Insert a long, thin camera (endoscope) through one of the ports. During the procedure, high-resolution 3D images are available from a camera.
- You will sit at a console and control the robotic arm that is just feet away from you.
- Do your surgery.
- Take out the surgical instruments and ports.
- Secure your cuts using sutures
Risks / Benefits
What are the benefits of robotic surgery?
- The benefits compared to traditional open surgery include the following:
- Less pain during recovery.
- Lower risk of infection.
- Reduced blood loss.
- Shorter hospital stays.
- Smaller scars.
Robotic surgery advantages for the physician as well For example:
- The reach of the robotic arm is greater than a human hand Arms turn instruments around places they could never reach otherwise.
- An advanced camera allows magnified, high-definition views of the surgical site.
- Surgeons are then able to perform the entire operation inside your body using small incisions and instruments.
The advantage of robot-assisted surgery is 94% to 100%. The success of any individual treatment varies depending on what procedure you are having, how healthy your general health is and for other reasons.
Centers that perform robot-assisted surgery are limited to those with surgeons who have received special training.
Other disadvantages include:
- Specific complications that would necessitate your surgeon to "convert" from laparoscopic surgery to a procedure requiring larger incisions (an "Open Procedure"). (In one case, the surgery creates scar tissue that makes robotic surgeons work more difficult.
- Nerve damage and compression.
- Issues related to robots mistakenly making copies (a very unlikely scenario)
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Book an AppointmentOn average, recovery time is a fraction of that for conventional surgery You might be:
- Crawl out of bed (as soon as the pain meds wear off)
- Eat in several hours after the operation.
- Same-day or next day discharge
Robotic surgery recovery
You will be given detailed post-procedure at-home care instructions for your particular treatment. These are in general, the principles you must follow,
- Keep the foot elevated up above the heart for a few days or as long as your surgeon allows.
- Gently reintroduce daily tasks. If you are not on prescription pain medications, you can drive as soon as you feel well enough.
- Wait to lift anything heavy until you consult with your surgeon.
- Keep an eye out for signs of infection, such as warmth/sharp pain in your incision site (not the same thing, a sign that something is wrong), pus coming from it and unexpected discoloration.
- Give medicine to treat pain or help with a bowel movement.
When To Call the Doctor
Contact your doctor immediately upon presentation of following signs and symptoms:
- Blood-soaked dressings.
- Fever.
- Drainage or pus from your incision (yellow color).
- Pain that fails to respond to painkillers
- These could be blood clot symptoms for example swelling in your groin or lower leg.
- Nausea or vomiting.
Additional Common Questions
Is robotic surgery better?
Remember, robotic surgery is not the 'better' way of doing things. That is one option, and surgeons use it selectively. Some examples of what they will think over are:
- The type of surgery you need.
- Your overall health.
- Your surgeon's expertise.
- Technological limitations.
Is robotic surgery painful?
You are put to sleep while the procedure is performed so you can't feel a thing. There are a few different things that go into how uncomfortable you will be following surgery, depending on the procedure and your pain tolerance.
Mild discomfort after surgery, some amount of pain is normal. However, for the majority of individuals there is less bleeding and post-operative pain when contrasted to traditional surgery and fewer complications.
