Robotics in surgery was first introduced in the 1980s with the release of the PUMA 560 robot. In 1985, the robot was used to improve the precision of neurosurgical biopsies. The use of robotics in surgery has since vastly expanded and developed to a point where it compares and is often an alternative to traditional surgery. Below, we will take a look at how each type of surgery stacks up against the other in various aspects.
- Recovery Time
Recovery time is an important aspect of surgery. Patients need to be able to get back to their regular lives as quickly as possible for multiple reasons, such as needing to return to work or taking care of dependents. With robotic surgery, recovery times are much lower when compared to traditional open surgery. This is due to how robotic surgery is performed. In comparison, robotic surgery requires smaller incisions and lower amounts of space, meaning muscles and organs do not need to be moved as much to create space for surgery. This results in few and smaller scars, allowing for patients to heal much more quickly.
2. Risk
Robotic surgery is more precise, reducing the risk of human error. It is less tasking on surgeons, allowing them to perform surgery with more ease than traditional open surgery. The risk of blood loss is reduced due to the smaller incisions needed for robotic surgery. In traditional open surgeries, the risks of infection are much higher when compared to robotic surgeries, as the surgical site is exposed to the environment. Robotic surgery runs the risk of having machinery malfunction. However, this is extremely rare.
3. Accessibility
As commonplace as using robotics in surgery is, it is still not as accessible as traditional open surgery. This is due to various factors, one of them being the cost of the machinery. Not all hospitals or medical facilities can afford to purchase the machinery, and therefore people may not have access to it in their locales. This can also increase the cost of robotic surgery. Robotic surgery requires more expertise, as surgeons need to know how to operate the machinery and adapt it to their knowledge of surgery. This further makes robotic surgery less accessible.
Robotics in surgery has come a long way since the 1980s. Looking at the benefits of robotic surgery, it seems that it will eventually replace traditional surgery. There are numerous robots specializing in different kinds of surgery. However, some surgeries still do not have specialized machinery to perform them. There will always be a need for surgeons to perform traditional open surgeries, especially due to complications experienced mid-surgery, but with the development of new technology, this may slowly become less and less of a requirement.
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