Robotic surgery may sound like a recent invention, but it has been around for decades. Initially invented for use in manufacturing, the use of robotics in medicine is now more common than you might think.
In recent years, the robotic surgery technology has become a more well-known option for patients who are looking to undergo a minimally invasive procedure. If you’re thinking about getting robotic surgery, you should know about its advantages. From a patient’s perspective, the procedure has a variety of benefits. For surgeons, the benefits are also numerous. Let’s explore some of the key advantages of robotic surgery, and why you might want to consider it if other options aren’t working for you.
Robotic surgery is less invasive
One of the biggest advantages of robotic surgery is that it is minimally invasive. First, a surgeon will make an incision in your body at the site of your surgery. Next, they insert small surgical instruments into your body through this incision. With traditional surgery, surgeons have to cut open a larger area so that they can use their hands to operate on you. It’s worth noting that while doctors who use robotic surgery still make an incision, they don’t have to cut open as much tissue as traditional surgeons do. This leads to less scarring and decreased recovery time post-surgery.
Robotic surgery patients also need fewer stitches than those who underwent traditional surgery because there is less tissue damage with robotics.
Robotic surgery is precise
Robotic surgery is a precise technique that allows surgeons to use their hands and instruments to operate with great precision. Because of this, patients are typically less likely to experience any kind of post-operative complications, like infections or bleeding. This allows them to go home and continue their recovery much more quickly.
Robotic surgery uses less anaesthesia
One of the biggest benefits of robotic surgery is that it uses less anaesthesia as little as 2% of what traditional surgery would require. This means patients will feel less pain during and after the procedure and recover quicker. It also helps reduce the risk of side effects from anaesthesia, such as respiratory depression or nausea.
Robotic surgery provides enhanced mobility
One of the main benefits of robotic surgery is that it provides enhanced mobility. Unlike traditional laparoscopic procedures, which require three to five small incisions for instruments to access the stomach, instruments are inserted through a single incision. This makes it much easier for surgeons to move around and manipulate their hands-— something they can’t do as easily during an open procedure.
Improved mobility during surgery also has several positive implications for patients. One major benefit is that patients recover faster after the procedure than they would after undergoing an open operation. In studies of robotic surgery, patients have been able to walk on their own just hours after their operation were complete.
Additionally, because patients experience less pain and discomfort post-op, they can resume normal activities more quickly. In some cases, they are even able to go home the same day as their surgery!
Robotic surgery has other benefits
Robotic surgery has other benefits, too. You might have heard stories about robotic surgery going wrong, but this type of surgery is much safer than traditional surgical methods.
The success rate of robotic surgery is high: it’s 97% for prostate surgeries and 95% for colon surgeries. This means that patients are less likely to experience complications or need to be readmitted following the procedure.
Robotic surgery also has a higher success rate than traditional methods when it comes to cancer rates. Studies show that patients who undergo robotic surgery have a 16% lower risk of developing cancer than those who opt for traditional methods. This could be because the robot uses smaller incisions, which makes it easier for doctors to detect suspicious cells early in the process and remove them before they can spread elsewhere in the body.
Although robotic surgeons are required to go through training to use this type of technology, some hospitals offer training sessions to encourage more people to become certified.
Robotic surgery is on the rise
While robotic surgery has been around for some time, it’s only recently that it’s seen a rise in popularity. In the past decade, the use of robotic surgery has more than doubled.
The major reason for this increase is that patients are looking for options if they want to avoid going under general anaesthesia and want to reduce their recovery time. For instance, “keyhole” or minimally invasive procedures allow the surgeons to operate using smaller incisions, which means that recovery takes less time than traditional operations.
The increase in popularity of this procedure is also attributed to the improved technology involved. As manufacturing and robotics improve, so does the quality of these procedures. Surgeons are now able to perform more complex surgeries with greater precision than ever before.
Disadvantages of Robotic Surgery
One thing to keep in mind is that there are disadvantages to robotic surgery. For one, the equipment can be expensive to purchase and expensive to maintain. The cost of the robot itself may range from $1 million to $2 million or more, not including the ongoing costs for maintenance and programming. Plus, if you’re looking for a minimally invasive procedure, it might not be your first choice. While robotic surgery doesn’t require as much cutting as traditional methods, it does still require making incisions and other forms of physical trauma on the body.
Final Words: Should You Choose Robotic Surgery?
Robotic surgery is a beneficial surgical option for patients who are looking to undergo a minimally invasive procedure. It has many advantages, and the technology is already in many hospitals’ operating rooms. If you’re thinking about getting robotic surgery, it might be worth exploring your options at a nearby hospital or clinic. It is also important to know that there are different types of surgical robots, and we shall discuss about them later.
