Telesurgery: What is it?

The first question is: what is robotic surgery?

Throughout history, surgery has been a useful but high-risk operation. With the more traditional operation, the system requires a bigger area for surgery and longer recovery times; as well, there is a higher risk of infection. Robotic surgery, however, focuses on using a minimum invasive approach, similar to the laparoscopic surgery, but with a much better view of the surgery site and more precise operations.

In robotic surgery, a patient would usually be under anaesthesia while a surgeon sits at a nearby station to control the movements of a robot. With the machine matching the surgeon’s movements, but in a more precise fashion, the surgery could be completed by robotic arms. The three dimensional images could also be view on screens through the use of an endoscope.

Multiple test results and case studies have proved telesurgery to be superior to other methods in cases of surgery succession, recovery rate, and the surgeons’ ease. However, one of its controversies was the cost. In order to implement robotic surgery in a regular surgical practice, a lot of financial support is required in areas like manufacturing and machine purchases, maintenance, training for surgeons and their supporting team, and regulation and lawmaking. All this lead us back to the question: are those improvements worth the cost?