4 Benefits of Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery isn’t as sci-fi as it sounds. In reality, robotic surgery is simply a type of minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure, but with an added layer of technology.

 

During robotic surgery, as with other laparoscopic procedures, the surgeon makes a button-size incision in the abdominal cavity for the insertion of a telescope. After expanding the abdominal cavity with carbon dioxide gas, three additional small incisions are made to place narrow tubes used for interchangeable instruments. Instead of the surgeon’s hands directly moving the instruments, the robotic device is wheeled up to the patient and the robotic arms are attached to the telescope and the instruments. The surgeon sits at the control console a few feet from the patient, and is able to view a highly magnified, three-dimensional image of the patient’s interior structures.

 

While it might seem like a foreign concept to some, surgeons have been performing surgeries with robotic assistance for years, and for good reason—there are numerous benefits to using robotics versus performing a traditional laparoscopic procedure.

 

Here are a few of the most significant benefits to a patient undergoing a robotic procedure:

 

1. Short recovery

As with any laparoscopic procedure, robotic surgery usually leads to a quicker recovery and less post-operative pain compared to open-incision surgery.

 

2. True 3D view

The thin telescope inserted into the patient’s body actually contains two lenses, each served by a separate camera. At the control console, Dr. Miller views a slightly different image with each eye, giving him a true 3D image. This ability allows smoother instrument movements and better appreciation of subtle tissue characteristics.

 

3. Increased surgeon control

With laparoscopic surgery, each hand controls one instrument or the camera (a total of two items). With robotic surgery, Dr. Miller controls all camera movements and three instruments (four items). During robotic surgery, all movements of the camera and robotic instruments are precisely performed in real-time by the surgeon using ergonomic finger controls. The tips of these instruments can make any wrist-like turn that the surgeon so desires.

 

4. “Scaling” of movement

The robotic instruments move proportionately smaller distances in the body than the hand controls move at the surgeon’s control console. This added precision is particularly useful with the system’s magnified view.

 

If you still aren’t completely at ease with robotic surgery, feel free to schedule an appointment with Dr. Miller to speak more in depth about your treatment options. Give us a call today at 404-705-5201, or call our toll free number at 1-866-705-5201.