Robotic surgery is minimally-invasive surgery performed with the assistance of a robot that extends the capabilities of the surgeon. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) allows physicians to perform many kinds of major surgery with less patient trauma and pain, minimal scarring, faster recovery and shorter hospital stays. Surgeries are performed through small incisions, which replace the large incisions needed for conventional open surgeries.

The use of robotics takes minimally invasive techniques into a new era, further minimizing the physical and emotional impact of surgery on patients. Robotic technology takes surgery beyond the limits of the human hand, introducing precise, versatile instrument movement combined with three-dimensional visualization of the operative site. By integrating computer-enhanced technology with the surgeon’s skill, the robotic-assisted surgical technology enables surgeons to enhance healing and promote well-being by performing minimally invasive surgery in a manner never before experienced.

The robotic surgical system is operated by a surgeon sitting a few feet away from the patient at a console. Using a high-powered camera, the surgeon guides the arms of the robot that holds surgical tools which are inserted into the patient through small, keyhole-sized incisions.

The device has wristed instruments, which allow the surgeon to move his own hands the way he would in a traditional surgery with precision, extraordinary control and range of motion. In addition, the robot's video monitoring system provides a three-dimensional view of the surgery with magnification ten times that of the naked eye allowing surgeons the ability to see the operating field more clearly.

Last Updated: January 4, 2012 (RSH)