Robotic surgery
Definition
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Robotic surgery is a technique in which a surgeon performs surgery using a computer that remotely controls very small instruments attached to a robot.
Alternative Names
Robot-assisted surgery; Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery; Laparoscopic surgery with robotic assistance
Description
This procedure is done under general anesthesia (you are asleep and pain-free). The surgeon sits at a computer station nearby and directs the movements of a robot. Small instruments are attached to the robot's arms.
The surgeon first inserts these instruments into your body through small surgical cuts. Under the surgeon's direction, the robot matches the doctor's hand movements to perform the procedure using the tiny instruments.
A thin tube with a camera attached to the end of it (endoscope) allows the surgeon to view highly magnified three-dimensional images of your body on a monitor in real time.
Recovery
Because the surgical cuts are typically smaller than with traditional open surgery, robotic surgery may lead to:
- Faster recovery
- Less pain and bleeding
- Less risk of infection
- Shorter hospital stay
- Smaller scars
Risks
The risks for any anesthesia are:
- Reactions to medications
- Problems breathing
The risks for any surgery are:
- Bleeding
- Infection
Robotic surgery may have fewer risks than open and laparoscopic surgery.
Reviewed By: Robert A. Cowles, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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