Medical Discovery News: Robots speed up neurosurgery
By Admin | May 09, 2018
Robots are in homes, factories and also in hospitals. Robot-assisted surgery has been around since at least 1985. Since then, robots have been used in developing minimally invasive surgeries such as laparoscopies using flexible fiber optic cameras. The first robotic surgical system, the daVinci Surgery System, received FDA approval in 2000. In a recent advance, a robot was used to cut a precise hole in a skull and it took only 2½ minutes rather than the usual two hours, a game changer for neurosurgery.
The use of robot-assisted surgery has been steadily increasing and is now used in many disciplines. Compared to traditional surgical techniques, robotic surgery is quicker, requires less recovery time, is less prone to human errors and costs less.
When neurosurgery is necessary, boring a hole through the skull can be a time-consuming and potentially risky process. Prior to cutting into the skull during neurosurgery, CT and MRI images are taken to locate nerves, sinuses and important blood vessels to avoid. Surgeons then carefully drill into the skull avoiding these important structures. This can take several hours, contributing to the high cost of these surgeries, and leaves the wound open, increasing the chance of infection.
To read more, "Medical Discovery News: Robots Speed Up Neurosurgery" by Abilene Reporter News.
