In the 21st century we are beginning to see a new era of complex technology: robots that assist the fallible human surgeon in performing minimally invasive surgery, with the goal of making these robots automatons that can perform surgeries without human input. These robots are being installed all over the world and will revolutionize the field of medical surgery. The robots reduce the amount of trauma to the patient. They also allow for extremely accurate precision in minimally invasive surgeries and can reduce the number of people needed in the operating room during the procedure. This essay will give an example of one of these systems, the system, Da Vinci, is advantageous for minimally invasive surgery.
Before discussing the topic of surgical robotics there are some key terms that will be used throughout the essay that may need definition. First, is minimally invasive surgery or MIS, which is a surgery in which the patient has minimal trauma, recovery time, and scarring. Next, an Endoscope is used to light up an area inside of a patient's body; it is a flexible tube with a light and camera mounted on the end to send pictures back to the surgeon. Finally, an Endowrist is the robotic arm with a medical instrument on the end that actually performs the surgery. (Reagan, J.).
The da Vinci system was one of the first robots to come on the market. On July 11, 2000 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the da Vinci system, making it the first approved system to be used in American operating rooms. This system, developed by Intuitive Surgical, allows the surgeon to get closer to the surgical site than his or her own vision will allow, therefore making it possible to work on a smaller scale than conventional surgery allows. An example of minimally invasive procedure by the da Vinci system is a gallbladder surgery. First, three incisions are made, no larger than the diameter of a pencil, in the patients abdomen; these allow for three stainless steal rods to enter into the abdomen.
