Robotic technology in surgery: Past, present, and future

Robotic versus laparoscopic colectomy

BACKGROUND

This study compared the experience and cost of the DaVinci Robotic system and laparoscopy for colon resections.

METHODS

For this study, 30 consecutive robotic and 27 consecutive laparoscopic colectomies were divided into right and sigmoid colectomies for analysis. Comparisons included indications for surgery, gender, age, body mass index (BMI), estimated blood loss (EBL), length of operation, length of hospital stay (LOS), complications, operating room (OR) cost, OR personnel cost, OR supply cost, OR time cost, and total hospital cost.

RESULTS

The comparison groups were similar in indications for surgery, gender, age, BMI, EBL, and LOS. The right colectomies included 17 robotic and 15 laparoscopic procedures. An intracorporeal anastomosis was performed in the robotic cases, and an extracorporeal anastomosis was performed in the laparoscopic cases. The total case time was 218.9 min for the robotic and 169.2 min for the laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.002). The total hospital cost was $9,255 for the robotic and $8,073 for the laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.430). The total OR cost was $5,823 for the robotic and $4,339 for the laparoscopic procedures (p < 0.000). The sigmoid colectomies included 13 robotic and 12 laparoscopic procedures. The robotic and laparoscopic cases were managed in similar sequence. The total case time was 225.2 min for the robotic and 199.4 min for the laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.128). The total hospital cost was $12,335 for the robotic and $10,697 for the laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.735). The total OR cost was $6,059 for the robotic and $4,974 for the laparoscopic procedures (p = 0.068). The complications in the robotic groups were more numerous, but were not attributable to equipment.

CONCLUSIONS

The comparison groups were similar. The robotic cases were significantly longer for right colectomies because of the intracorporeal anastomosis instead of the extracorporeal anastomosis performed in the laparoscopy cases. Every cost category was higher for the robotic cases. The right colectomies showed significant increases in total OR cost, OR personnel cost, OR supply cost, and OR time cost. The sigmoid colectomies had significant increases in OR personnel cost and OR supply cost. The total hospital cost was higher for the robotic groups, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Robotic surgery in gynecologic oncology: evolution of a new surgical paradigm

Robotic surgical platforms were first developed with telesurgery in mind. Conceptualized by NASA and the military to provide surgical expertise to remote locations, some telesurgical success has been documented, but progress has been held back by communication bandwidth limitations. Telepresence surgery, where the surgeon is in proximity to the patient but is provided with an ergonomic console equipped with three-dimensional vision and autonomous control of wristed laparoscopic surgical instruments and energy sources, has shown efficacy first in cardiac and then urologic cancer surgery. Interest is currently focused on the application of this technology in the field of gynecology, with techniques being described to perform simple hysterectomy, myomectomy, tubal anastomosis, and pelvic reconstruction procedures. This article will review the application of robotic- and computer-assisted surgery in the specialty of gynecologic oncology.

Historia de la robótica: de Arquitas de Tarento al Robot da Vinci. (Parte II)

Robotic surgery is a reality. In order to to understand how new robots work is interesting to know the history of ancient (see part i) and modern robotics. The desire to design automatic machines imitating humans continued for more than 4000 years. Archytas of Tarentum (at around 400 a.C.), Heron of Alexandria, Hsieh-Fec, Al-Jazari, Bacon, Turriano, Leonardo da Vinci, Vaucanson o von Kempelen were robot inventors. At 1942 Asimov published the three robotics laws. Mechanics, electronics and informatics advances at XXth century developed robots to be able to do very complex self governing works. At 1985 the robot PUMA 560 was employed to introduce a needle inside the brain. Later on, they were designed surgical robots like World First, Robodoc, Gaspar o Acrobot, Zeus, AESOP, Probot o PAKI-RCP. At 2000 the FDA approved the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical Inc, Sunnyvale, CA, USA), a very sophisticated robot to assist surgeons. Currently urological procedures like prostatectomy, cystectomy and nephrectomy are performed with the da Vinci, so urology has become a very suitable speciality to robotic surgery.

Image-guided surgery and medical robotics in the cranial area

Surgery in the cranial area includes complex anatomic situations with high-risk structures and high demands for functional and aesthetic results. Conventional surgery requires that the surgeon transfers complex anatomic and surgical planning information, using spatial sense and experience. The surgical procedure depends entirely on the manual skills of the operator. The development of image-guided surgery provides new revolutionary opportunities by integrating presurgical 3D imaging and intraoperative manipulation. Augmented reality, mechatronic surgical tools, and medical robotics may continue to progress in surgical instrumentation, and ultimately, surgical care. The aim of this article is to review and discuss state-of-the-art surgical navigation and medical robotics, image-to-patient registration, aspects of accuracy, and clinical applications for surgery in the cranial area.

Surgical robotics and image guided therapy in pediatric surgery: emerging and converging minimal access technologies

Minimal access surgery (MAS) is now commonplace in the armamentarium of the pediatric surgeon, and is being applied to a growing list of pediatric surgical diseases. Robot-assisted surgery and image guided therapy (IGT) have evolved as innovative minimal access approaches, and hold the promise of advancing MAS far beyond what is currently possible. The aims of this article are to describe the currently available robotic, and image guided therapy systems, review their present and potential applications, and discuss the future directions of these converging technologies.

Robotic Assistant for Laparoscopy

BACKGROUND

With the advent of technologies allowing for wider application of minimally invasive surgeries, the integration of telerobotics for mentoring by a surgeon at a remote site will make it possible to include a wider audience in surgical consultations and collaboration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two surgery research fellows performed 8 laparoscopic cholecystectomies each in a swine model, as the animate portion of the study. Using the Zeus robotic system, a senior surgeon participated as a robotic assistant and consulted remotely. Teleconsultation was achieved using Hermes voice-activated software to display an on-screen pointer highlighting significant anatomic structures. To clarify the workspace space constraints on the robotic arms, an inanimate study was conducted to carry out retrieval, delivery, and complex object movement.

RESULTS

All the laparoscopic cholecystectomies were completed successfully, with minimal blood loss and no complications. The robotic assistant surgeon participated in all surgeries and instructed on anatomical landmarks. The robotic tools were at a disadvantage due to the radius of movement. The simpler tasks were easier to complete than the complex movement, which required bimanual coordination.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the feasibility of integrating robotics as a surgical assistant and to consult distant audiences by a single senior surgeon. Incorporating remote access assistance and education capacities extends the limits of physical restrictions in completing surgical procedures safely.

Biomodels of Bone: A Review

In this paper, a definition of a biomodel is presented, based on which different specific types of biomodels are identified, viz., virtual biomodels, computational biomodels, and physical biomodels. The paper then focuses on both physical and virtual biomodels of bone, and presents a review of model generation methodologies, giving examples of typical biomodel applications. The use of macroscale biomodels for such issues as the design and preclinical testing of surgical implants and preoperative planning is discussed. At the microscale, biomodels of trabecular bone are examined and the link with scaffolds for tissue engineering is established. Conclusions are drawn on the state of the art, and the major developments necessary for the continued expansion of the field are identified. Finally, arguments are given on the benefits of integrating the use of the different types of biomodels reviewed in this paper, for the benefit of future research in biomechanics and biomaterials.