Hello World

Welcome to my blog on robotic surgery. I’m Montana, and I’ll be researching this topic and posting about it.

When I first heard the term “robot surgery,” what came to mind was a futuristic and amusing image of robots undergoing surgery. After looking up its definition, I found that while robotic surgery doesn’t have robot patients, it is still an interesting subject that could shape the future of the medical industry.

So what is robotic surgery? Robot surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, which means that small instruments are inserted into quarter-inch incisions. These instruments are mounted on a robot’s three arms, while a fourth arm contains a 3D camera that allows physicians to see the operating field in greater detail than the human eye. The physicians control the robot, which replicates their exact movements. By undergoing robot surgery, patients will have a faster recovery time and feel less pain.  [1]

However, this surgery is not without its controversies. As the number of robotic surgical procedures increase, so do the risks and concerns. Many surgeons claim that robot surgery is safe and superior to traditional surgery, but studies show that it has not proved to be more effective. As a result, patients have filed lawsuits claiming that robot surgery has caused them injury, and constructed Web sites detailing their negative experiences. [2]

I find the two differing viewpoints on robotic surgery intriguing and intend to research them in more detail in upcoming posts.

Sources:

[1] The Robotic Surgery Center. (n.d.) What is Robotic Surgery? Retrieved from http://robotic-surgery.med.nyu.edu/for-patients/what-robotic-surgery

[2] Greenberg, H. (2013, March). Robotic Surgery: Growing Sales, but Growing Concerns. CNBC. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/id/100564517